"The effectiveness of getting work done without train traffic was invaluable," adds Lapp.

Archer Western also holds a separate $27-million contract for station construction. After a time, even those crews got into the curfew act, Lapp says.

Steel erection was one job that became easier without live train traffic. "Something that took [ironworkers] two weeks working normal hours, they'd get done in a weekend," Lapp adds.

The contract's current completion date is Sept. 21, but that may change as the design-build process continues, FDOT says. However, the target of spring 2014 for the start of train service remains unchanged.

"With all the different balls in the air, [it has taken] a coordinated effort to keep things moving," says FDOT's Scales. "Our team has done a pretty good job."