ORLANDO, Fla. — Of the $1.4 billion in rail infrastructure funding announced by the Biden administration Monday, more than $58 million is coming to railroad improvement projects in Florida.


What You Need To Know

  • On Monday, the Biden administration announced $1.4 billion in funding for the country's rail infrastructure

  • Of that, five Florida projects received funding totaling more than $58 million

  • Two of the projects are located in Central Florida

Five projects are getting millions in federal dollars to help improve rail travel in Florida, and two are notable in Central Florida.

Almost $7 million will be used to enhance 110 highway-rail grade crossings along the Central Florida Rail Corridor, which is used by SunRail, Amtrak and freight rail carriers.

The project would also work to address reduce pedestrian trespassing by directing people to proper crossings using pavement markings, signage, surface upgrades and installation of traffic signal equipment.

Brightline is working on the other Central Florida project set to receive funding. The federal government awarded the company $1.6 million for a program that uses artificial intelligence software to gather data on where people are trespassing along their tracks.

On Brightline's Brevard County route, the city of Melbourne has 16 crossings, the most of any area in the county.

"I'm not against any kind of movement or expansion, but we do need to educate people the trains could be dangerous," said Danny Parsons, a homeless individual who crosses the tracks each day to get to Daily Bread for a warm meal.

Daily Bread on Fee Avenue is just yards away from the crossing, where trains speed through at 79 mph.

"We know that we work with a population that's on their feet," said Jeff Njus, Daily Bread's executive director. "Bicycles (or) walking, they're vulnerable to a high speed train going by."

Just last week, the Florida Department of Transportation was highlighting Rail Safety Week and the importance of staying off the tracks.

"It is private property and it is considered trespassing," FDOT safety administrator Loreen Bobo said. "But if you're walking along there and that train comes along, and if you're 3 feet from the track, that train hangs 3 feet either side. If it hits you there’s a decent chance you’re not going to survive.”

The three other Florida projects are track improvements and upgrades in the Panhandle, enhancements to the Southwest Florida Rail Corridor and a University of South Florida program to promote railroad careers.