Our cause against Brightline’s proposed route recently received support in the form of a challenge to the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s legal right to give Brightline the right of way along State Road (SR) 417 to build its high-speed rail system. Callan Law Firm PA, representing a group of Hunter’s Creek residents, sent a letter to the agency on September 9 raising objection to the transaction, which would allow Brightline’s proposed route to slice through several neighborhoods in the area.

The challenge was based on an eminent domain settlement from 1991, when the expressway authority agreed the SR 417 right-of-way would not be used for any non-roadway purpose. As part of the original settlement, residents would likely be able to seek compensation for damages to property value if the expressway authority grants right-of-way usage to Brightline which could reach $750 million, according to the law firm. This could be another important factor in favor of the northern route we’re advocating for.

Read more about the challenge here.