Sun Rail in Volusia County

Commuter rail between Volusia County and Orlando is back - or still - on track now, and may see development in the next 2-3 years. After twice defeating a deal between the state and CSX Railway, on Dec. 8 the Florida Senate approved a rail plan that clears the way for the $1.2 billion mass transit system between DeLand and Poinciana. The latest vote was not even close, as 27 senators voted for the rail bill and 10 opposed it. The bill provides funding for the project and for Tri-Rail in South Florida, as well as setting the stage for a high-speed rail linking Orlando and Tampa. Local leaders had lobbied for the Legislature to close the deal to secure federal stimulus funds.

SunRail is a partnership among the Federal Transit Administration, the FDOT, and five local governments. The five local partners are Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties and the City of Orlando. The project will run along a 61-mile stretch of existing rail freight tracks in the four-county area.

The 31-mile first phase of SunRail would serve 12 stations, linking DeBary to Orlando. Phase II would serve 5 additional stations, north to DeLand and south to Poinciana. Service is expected to begin in 2011 - just as FDOT is expected to start a major I-4 reconstruction project through the heart of Central Florida.

"The next step is to have DOT [Florida Department of Transportation] apply for, and we expect we'll get, the full funding agreement," said Karl Welzenbach, executive director of the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Volusia County. The bill passed by the Florida Legislature now goes to Gov. Charlie Crist for his signature. Crist, who had pressed state lawmakers to pass the measure, has said he will sign the bill in a few days.

Sun Rail describes the plan:
"SunRail proposes to use existing railroad tracks as its main artery. This route would consist of 61 miles of service to DeLand, through Orlando and downtown Kissimmee to Poinciana. Phase 1 is 31-miles and will connect DeBary to Sand Lake Road in Orange County. The corridor would provide a higher speed transportation option for commuters traveling from as far as Daytona Beach on the northern end and from Polk County on the southern end. The train would provide at least five trips during "peak" morning (5:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.) and afternoon (3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) rush hours. It would operate on a 30-minute frequency during those peak hours and a two-hour frequency during non-peak hours."

Traffic congestion is a growing concern for those who live, work and visit Central Florida. As our region continues to grow at a staggering pace, that congestion will only get worse. Sun Rail is certainly progress in the right direction.

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