Orange County

Construction of high-speed rail connecting South Florida to Orlando halfway complete

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Brightline says it’s more than halfway done with construction to bring the high-speed rail service to Orlando.

The vehicle maintenance facility, near Orlando International Airport, will serve 16 trains a day and bring in dozens of new jobs.

READ: Brightline urged to include I-Drive, Convention Center stops along high-speed railway to Tampa

On Wednesday, Brightline officials said there’s major progress on the high-speed rail system set to connect South Florida to the Orlando International Airport, which is set to start sometime next year.

After that, the rail system is planned to connect to Tampa, but questions remain about the route.

READ: Disney, Brightline mull where to put train stop at Disney Springs, sources say

For the next leg, which would connect Orlando to Tampa with a stop in Disney, there are two options: one along State Road 417 and the other along State Road 528, which could cost $1 billion more.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.