Brightline Phase I - Construction Consulting and Monitoring

Brightline is developing and constructing the only privately held intercity passenger rail service and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in the United States. Formerly known as All Aboard Florida, the project will provide express transit between Orlando and Miami. The service is being developed and constructed in three phases.
 
Brightline is currently constructing the first phase between West Palm Beach and Miami, a $1.04 billion, 68-mile transit corridor project. This phase includes 450,000 square feet of station and retail space at Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, a maintenance and repair facility, and procurement of five new trainsets from Siemen’s Transportation Group. Brightline has established to begin Phase 1 revenue service in the fall of 2017. Part of the funding for Brightline's new line includes a $405 million payment-in-kind (PIK) toggle bond.

Phase 1 also includes:

• upgrade existing rail corridor with new parallel track (double track) and associated turnouts;
• reconstruction/new bridges crossing rivers and streams;
• 168 grade crossings;
• new signals and communications, as well as automated train control and positive train control;
• two new in-line stations with foundation superstructures; and
• high level station at Miami with TOD and connectivity to Tri-Rail.

Brightline engaged Urban to perform independent physical and financial assessments of the ongoing construction progress and construction invoicing relative to the contractual budgets and schedules as a condition of the PIK toggle bond. Urban accomplishes the assessments by making monthly site visits, examining construction progress at all project locations, reviewing and analyzing financial records and invoicing, and interviewing management. Urban’s primary focus is the portion of the construction funded by the PIK toggle bond investment; however, project success is also determined by Urban’s assessment of the project entirety. Thus, all aspects of construction are addressed in the monthly assessments.

Urban’s services provide a valuable benefit to the success of Phase 1 by providing confidence to bondholders and verifying Brightline's financial position. Phase 2 will include connecting West Palm to Orlando International Airport.

Highlights

• Independent Construction, Cost, Schedule Analysis
• Technical Diversity of Project
• Phased Construction
• Accelerated Schedule
• 100% Privately Funded