All Aboard Florida secures rail deals

All Aboard Florida, the passenger rail project being developed by Florida East Coast Industries Inc. (FECI), is moving forward with two significant agreements.

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) board unanimously approved an easement purchase agreement with All Aboard Florida. This agreement allows All Aboard Florida to construct its rail infrastructure immediately parallel to the State Road 528 corridor. Coupled with the lease agreement approved by the Florida Department of Transportation in June 2013, All Aboard Florida has now secured the critical right of way needed for the project.

In a separate transaction on October 2, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority's (GOAA) board approved several agreements that will allow All Aboard Florida to develop its Central Florida station at the Orlando International Airport’s future intermodal station. The GOAA agreements will provide a rail easement between State Road 528 and the future Intermodal Station; a premises lease for the future Intermodal Station; and a land lease to construct All Aboard Florida’s vehicle maintenance facility.

“All Aboard Florida achieved two major milestones this week by securing the right of way agreement that will utilize the expanded State Road 528 transportation corridor and finalizing the location for the Central Florida terminal station,” said P. Michael Reininger, president/chief development officer of All Aboard Florida. “We will now focus on designing and engineering the project so we can begin construction by the end of this year.The progress we have made in 18 months is the result of a great partnership between All Aboard Florida and the public sector.”