By Lisa Broadt
September 21, 2016
TC Palm
Federal and state agencies soon will receive a new suggested route for All Aboard Florida, one which would skirt Martin County yet still cut through other areas of the Treasure Coast.
The Martin County Commission on Tuesday approved submitting this alternative route proposal to the Federal Railroad Administration, Florida Department of Transportation and South Florida Water Management District.
“I think this is a great alternative,” Commissioner John Haddox said. “It should have been studied from the get-go.”
All Aboard Florida representatives declined to comment.
Commissioners issued the directive following a 30-minute presentation by Rick Creech, of Creech Consulting Inc., one of numerous outside consultants hired by the county in its battle against the $3.1 billion passenger railroad.
When preparing a crucial federal environmental report, All Aboard Florida considered only four routes: corridors along Florida’s Turnpike and Interstate 95, the current CSX tracks and the existing Florida East Coast Railway coastal corridor, Creech told the commission.
The company excluded a fifth alternative, a route which would divert the train west in sections of north Palm Beach, Martin and south St. Lucie counties, helping to minimize impacts of the passenger railroad on some of the Treasure Coast’s communities, Creech said.
The alternative would cut the number of rail crossings in Martin County from 29 to 13, the consultant said.
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