Nearly $16 million to go towards high-speed rail plans that would connect Tampa to Orlando

TAMPA, Fla. - The federal government is kicking in nearly $16 million in grant money for Brightline’s proposed plans for a high-speed rail that would connect Tampa to Orlando.

Traveling from Tampa to Orlando for work, the airport, theme parks or shopping means drivers are taking on I-4, a route many people avoid due to the daily congestion.

"It’s a parking lot. Very slow. Sometimes it's taking me as much as five to six hours to make the trip," shared Albert Yoder.

Brightline wants to add an intercity passenger rail line that would run along the spine of I-4, connecting Tampa to the Orlando International Airport with trains that can hit speeds of 125 miles per hour.

"I think it will cut down on some of the highway traffic," Yoder said.

A federal grant announced this week will award up to $15,875,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help fund the Brightline project. The company will match the funds, totaling $31,750,000 to be used for preliminary engineering costs of the train route.

Local lawmakers said this investment is on track to boost the region’s economy, will attract visitors from across the country and keep us moving as Tampa and Orlando continue to grow.

Brightline is currently operating high-speed rail passenger lines between Miami and West Palm Beach. Construction of the extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando should be complete by the end of this year. The final leg linking Orlando to Tampa would connect 70% of the Sunshine State’s population.

So far, no word on when this preliminary engineering work will be complete, what the next steps are, or what year we might finally be riding the rails to Orlando.

FOX 13 News reached out to Brightline for more details, but has not heard back.