Stuart station (Brightline)

Stuart station is a future Brightline inter-city rail station in Stuart, Florida. The station would be located near the Old Martin County Courthouse in the downtown area of the city, having a station size of 8750 sqft on a 2.35-acre site. Service at this station will begin by the end of 2026.

History
Brightline had originally expressed interest in adding a station on Florida's Treasure Coast, as part of their route between Miami and Orlando. In 2018, Brightline reached a legal settlement with Martin County and residents that a station would be constructed on the Treasure Coast within five years of the completion of the Orlando extension. Later that year, the company asked cities in the area to submit proposals for viable station locations. Fort Pierce, which last had passenger train service on July 31, 1968, had expressed interest. The city of Stuart had also indicated that it will be negotiating for a potential station. Brightline had originally indicated that Stuart could be the most likely location for a Treasure Coast station. However, neither city's station proposals had been committed in writing as completion of the line to Orlando was the top priority for Brightline. After completing the Orlando extension, Brightline had indicated that their focus was on the Treasure Coast to receive a station, with the company formally launching request for proposals. Stuart and Fort Pierce were the candidates to receive the Brightline station. By February 26, 2024, Stuart city officials confirmed that Brightline had expressed that Stuart would be chosen for the station location. On March 4, 2024, Brightline officially announced that Stuart had won the bid for the Treasure Coast station.

The Stuart station is planned to be an infill station along the Florida route. Brightline and Martin County would fund constructing the station and rail infrastructure while the city would cover access and zoning requirements and costs. Both the city and county have begun to seek grants from the United States Department of Transportation and the Florida Department of Transportation to be used toward the construction of the station and related infrastructure. The city would use a portion of the grant to fund the construction of a parking garage that would accommodate Brightline passengers. Construction of the station could begin in the coming years, with service planned for 2026.