Residents of 32963 seeking to enter or exit the island at the south end in Fort Pierce can expect to face a month of delays and detours while Brightline upgrades the railroad crossing at the west end of the North Causeway Bridge.
Construction is set to start 6 a.m., Monday, April 11 and continue through Wednesday, May 11 on the railroad crossing just west of Harbortown Drive.
The construction will require the full closure of the railroad crossing from 6 a.m., Monday, April 18 until 6 p.m., Thursday, April 21, Brightline said last Friday in a news release.
Brightline will also fully close the railroad crossing from 6 a.m., Monday, April 25 until 6 p.m., Thursday, April 28, the company said.
Motorists seeking to get on or off the island on those days will need to use one of the bridges in Vero Beach.
Brightline is spending $2.7 million upgrading the Florida East Coast Railway tracks between West Palm Beach and Orlando, including the installation of a second set of tracks, and building new tracks between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport.
Brightline anticipates operating 32 passenger trains per day through Indian River County at speeds of up to 110 mph as part of a 3-hour and 15-minute trip between South Florida and Orlando International Airport.
Brightline is spending $33 million to replace the 97-year-old St. Sebastian River Railroad Bridge, and also is adding new railroad bridges across the Main Canal in Vero Beach and North Canal in Winter Beach.
A massive crane has been mobilized for pile-driving operations for the new bridge traversing the Main Canal Railroad Bridge between U.S. 1 and Vero Beach Municipal Airport.
Brightline also plans to mobilize a crane for pile-driving operations for the new bridge traversing the North Canal Railroad Bridge near Dixie Highway.
Brightline closed the Eastbound Sebastian Boulevard railroad crossing through March 19 for construction of new tracks and safety mechanisms.
The westbound Sebastian Boulevard railroad crossing was closed last week for construction.
Brightline employees have been conducting qualifying operations on the FECR tracks between West Palm Beach and Cocoa to prepare engineers and conductors for the start of passenger service.