HALLANDALE BEACH (CBSMiami) – A Brightline train whistled down the tracks late Wednesday evening in Hallandale Beach.
It’s a sound Fernando Ramos now fears.
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“I can hear it every night,” said Ramos. “Now, it’s a very eerie sound. It brings nightmares.”
Ramos’ son Demitre was killed walking across the train tracks. Nineteen-year-old Demitre left the local YMCA that night to head home.
There’s a memorial now that sits by the tree where he died.
Ramos spoke to the Hallandale Beach commission, advocating for more safety measures near the tracks.
“Whose child has to die next before it’s an issue,” Ramos said to the commissioners and mayor. “I’m determined to keep speaking about this if I have to go to the governor of Florida.”
The commissioners heard his plea. And passed a measure for the city to evaluate how they can secure their part of the track.
“Make sure we get done what has to be done,” said Mayor Joy Cooper. “Not the minimum. Make sure it gets done.”
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Cooper is determined to save lives. Ramos calls for barriers by the track and an accessible crosswalk positioned near the residences and businesses.
Right now, only trees and small no trespassing signs deter people. It does not work. CBS4 saw many groups, including a family, crossing over tracks.
On Wednesday, Brightline Senior Vice President Ben Porritt shared his safety vision for South Florida.
“Mechanisms that channel people away from the railroad and certainly avoid the railroad when they shouldn’t be there anyway,” said Porritt. “There are three different types of safety enhancements. The first is channelization fencing and landscaping that will take people from just crossing the railroad down to a proper crossing.”
An ongoing Associated Press analysis reveals Brightline has the worst fatality rate per mile nationally.
“We can partner with them to do things on the track,” added Cooper.
The Brightline track rolls through a residential neighborhood in Hallandale Beach. There’s a public park, daycare centers, and foot traffic across the street.
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Mayor Cooper’s hopeful the city’s study will lead to change and keep citizens safe.
