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Front Page » Communities » Brightline bridges the gap in Aventura

Brightline bridges the gap in Aventura

Written by on October 18, 2022
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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Brightline bridges the gap in Aventura

Brightline has officially completed its Aventura station structure with the installation of a 68-ton pedestrian skybridge.

The 131-foot-long bridge stretches on two 41-foot-high towers and is the final piece of the station’s structuring. Brightline is expected to launch service to the Aventura station at 19796 W Dixie Hwy, before the end of the year.

“This topping off is a testament of our team’s dedication to bring the vision of connectivity to the Northeast Corridor,” said Patrick Goddard, president for Brightline. “Our partners at Miami-Dade County were an integral part of making this station a reality and bringing enhanced access to area residents.”

Once completed in 2023, the 3.5-acre project consisting of the station and its surface parking lot will be Brightline’s fourth in the state, connecting travelers in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, followed by Orlando. The site also features 240 parking spaces, a bus drop-off for Miami-Dade Transit passengers and newly landscaped and hardscape areas.

Located across from Aventura Mall, Brightline’s Aventura station is to include autonomous lounges and Brightline+ services. After passing through security, Brightline passengers will be able to access the skybridge from the passenger lounge utilizing an elevator or escalators to the vertical transportation towers.

Brightline says it will provide frequent, express service from the Aventura station to downtown Miami during the peak morning commute period and return service during the evening rush hour period. The trip between downtown Miami and Aventura is expected to take about 15 minutes. Miami-Dade County is to offer subsidized fares for a percentage of riders between Aventura and MiamiCentral.

In October 2019, the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) passed a resolution to approve the property acquisition and development agreement between the county and Brightline. It also approved use of $76.7 million of surtaxes to develop this project, which will serve the Northeast Corridor, one of six corridors in the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (Smart) Program.

The $76 million from Miami-Dade County created more than 400 jobs during construction and will continue to generate significant economic benefits, including $90.8 million a year economic impact and $2.7 billion over 30 years, said county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

“The topping off of the Aventura station brings us one step closer to increasing mobility for Northeast Miami Dade County,” she said. “This station is an important component of my plan to enhance transportation options throughout the county, making it easier for our residents to go to work, school or leisure activities.”

10 Responses to Brightline bridges the gap in Aventura

  1. Anil

    October 19, 2022 at 10:45 am

    Good news. I thought they were going to build a pedestrian bridge to cross US1. If not will they create some sort of intersection or way for pedestrians to walk to the mall?

    • Dave Young

      October 22, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      Damn good question, I was thinking the same exact thing !

    • Karla

      November 5, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      Same question. I have to cross the railroad tracks to get to my childs school,which is located in “UNINCORPORATED Miami dade”, and not considered Aventura. Interested to see how we will cross over on foot to west dixie.

    • Katerina M

      November 20, 2022 at 12:36 pm

      There is already a pedestrian crossing to the mall across US-1, right around facing the Nordstrom side of the mall.

  2. brian

    October 19, 2022 at 10:49 am

    What happened to the pedestrian bridge from the station to the mall? Made to much sense?

  3. Caroline Ernst-Pericht

    October 19, 2022 at 2:04 pm

    Any new updates for the Brightline in Orlando ? Early 2023 is so vague . Is it January or February ?

  4. Robert

    October 19, 2022 at 8:19 pm

    Ridership will not materialize, getting people out of their cars is……, another 100 million dollars flushed down the toilet

    Sorry but it’s the sad truth

    • Dave Young

      October 22, 2022 at 6:08 pm

      Robert : Brightline is a 100% PRIVATE RAILROAD. No State or Federal funding, so NO LOST MONEY.

      ps : Why is it that Republicans always have to lie about spending, when Trump wasted EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS from 2016-2020 ? Why not talk about that for a change ?

  5. David

    November 4, 2022 at 8:23 pm

    Do both rail systems use the same tracks?

  6. Jonathan Nelson

    January 8, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    Florida East Coast and Brightline currently use these tracks. In the future Tri-Rail might also use them. Amtrak and CSX use the old Seaboard tracks 1 mile to the west.

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