Brightline Trains currently operates passenger rail service connecting Orlando International Airport to Miami along the FECR tracks that run along US 1 through Brevard County beginning at SR 528 (Beachline) and running south. The SCTPO has had a long history of supporting the relaunch of passenger rail and conducted a Station Location Study in 2016 that identified the Cocoa area as the best location for a train station.

In 2024, the SCTPO completed an Intermodal Feasibility Station Study that focused on locating a passenger train station in Cocoa near US1/SR 528 and SR 501 (Clearlake Rd) (behind existing Walmart). 

The SCTPO has ranked the Cocoa Intermodal Station within its adopted List of Project Priorities and continues to work closely with its partners in seeking the implementation of a passenger rail station in Cocoa. A station will provide another mode choice for the community to travel either south to Miami or across the state to Orlando and potentially at some point to Tampa.

• Intermodal Feasibility Study Report – October 2024 (Appendices available upon request, due to file size)
• Intermodal Feasibility Study Presentation Slides – September 2024

The City of Cocoa was notified that the previous Federal State Partnership (FSP) grant that was submitted back in December 2024, was not awarded to any applicant and no agencies received funding from that previous grant opportunity as it is now being reissued by the Federal Railroad Administration as the National Railroad Partnership Program. All applicants were notified of this change and must resubmit. 

$5 billion is available. The SCTPO, City of Cocoa, and Brightline are actively developing the new grant. The city will be the applicant and the SCTPO will be the co-applicant. All applicants must submit a new application, with a due date of January 7, 2026. After submission, we anticipate notification by Spring 2026. 

For more specifics info about the grant program itself, please visit: https://railroads.dot.gov/partnership-program

“The Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization remains committed to working alongside the City of Cocoa and our regional partners to make the Cocoa Station a reality. We are optimistic about the opportunities ahead, including applying together for the reissued National Railroad Partnership Program grant," said Georganna Gillette, SCTPO Executive Director. "This project represents a significant step toward expanding transportation options and connecting our community to the future of passenger rail in Florida.”

Project Status:

At this stage, the project remains in the preliminary pre-obligation phase. We’ve met with the FRA (Federal Rail Administration) team, and design plans are currently at 30% completion. Final design is not expected to begin until 2026, after execution of the grant agreement. Because of this timeline, construction will not begin until after final design is completed. 

In 2016, the Space Coast TPO conducted a passenger rail study in response to the prospect that passenger rail services may return to Brevard via Brightline, a new private endeavor to provide higher speed passenger train service between Miami and Orlando. This was determined to be an opportunity to advance the County’s public transportation vision, as described in the TPO’s adopted 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan, and support the region’s economy and tourism industries. The TPO has been encouraging Brightline to add a station in Brevard County upon the start up of service between Orlando and West Palm.

Passenger Rail Station Location Study – May 2016

SCTPO Resolution 16-14– Resolution endorsing future passenger rail station locations in Central and South Brevard County and a preferred location.

The Space Coast TPO coordinated an analysis in 2014 to assess the applicability of “quiet zones” at specific locations along the Florida East Coast (FEC) rail corridor. The analysis was conducted to address concerns by local jurisdictions and citizens about increased warning horn noise along the railway due to the frequency of the passenger trains to be running by Virgin Trains, anticipated to start in 2022.

Quiet Zone Technical Memorandum – September, 2014

SCTPO Resolution 15-12 – Resolution authorizing the SCTPO to coordinate the application for quiet zone designation at grade crossings along the Florida East Coast Railway corridor in Brevard County – October 9, 2014

Quiet Zone Status – Virgin Trains is beginning construction to expand its passenger rail services from West Palm to Orlando Airport. It is expected construction in Brevard County will take approximately 2 1/2 to 3 years and all at grade crossings will receive safety improvements necessary to meet quiet zone requirements. Upon completion of construction of all safety features and updating the crossing inventory to the Federal Rail Administration, an application will be submitted to have a quiet zone established in Brevard for all crossings from SR 528 south to Indian River County. The quiet zone would apply to both cargo (freight) and passenger trains.