CBS12 TV News Coverage: Fighting All Aboard Florida: Legal Battle Moves Forward

By Kara Duffy

MARTIN AND INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fl. (CBS12) — It’s a huge win for Martin and Indian River County in their legal battle against All Aboard Florida.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in favor of the counties, saying they do have the legal standing to move forward with their lawsuit against the Brightline express railroad service and Department of Transportation.

Gabriella Ferraro, a spokesperson for Martin County says the judge’s ruling is an affirmation of what they’ve been fighting for since first filing the lawsuit back in April 2015.

Both counties claim the project would cause irreparable damage to local communities and harm the environment.

Ferraro says they also believe the decision to fund the project through subsided taxpayer dollars was improperly authorized.

Moving forward, both sides must now review and prepare for the next step in this legal fight.

In the meantime, construction on the Brightline service continues along South Florida, including most recently on Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach.

All Aboard Florida is hoping to have the Brightline system up and running by late 2017.

The passenger railroad service will connect riders from Miami to Orlando with stops in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.