COCOA, Fla. — The City of Cocoa has secured an additional $2 million in state funding for a proposed $90 million multimodal passenger rail station, bringing the project another step closer to reality.
The station is planned for two properties off Clear Lake Road — one owned by the City of Cocoa and the other by Brightline. City leaders say the project is designed to bring passenger rail service and additional transportation options to the Space Coast. “It’s going through our community. We aren’t reaping the benefits from it. So, we want to be able to reap those benefits,” said Samantha Senger, spokesperson for the City of Cocoa.
The City of Cocoa continues to pursue additional funding for the project. That effort comes as Brightline works to restructure billions of dollars in debt. We asked Senger if that gives the city pause about investing in a project of the station’s size, but Senger said the vision for the station extends beyond a single rail operator.
“From the beginning, this project has always been about the Cocoa multimodal station,” Senger said. “It is a station that will provide different transportation access for our community. So, regardless of what train is passing through there, it is a station for passenger rail service.” The city remains confident that passenger rail service will eventually come to Cocoa. In a statement to WFTV, a Brightline spokesperson said:
“Brightline continues to demonstrate strong momentum, with the second quarter of 2026 marking the highest revenue performance in our history. Ridership in Q2 continues to show strong growth. We are currently engaged with our partners on various options to enhance our balance sheet and position our company for long-term success.
“Brightline is committed to working with the City of Cocoa to bring passenger rail to the community.”
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