SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A plan to expand the SunRail system to include service from Orlando International Airport to the theme parks could reshape transportation in the Central Florida region.
The total cost for the full build-out of the Sunshine Corridor is more than $4 billion, but officials say it could also increase annual ridership six-fold within the first year of operation.
Before any work can begin, a two-year PD&E (Project Development and Environment) study must be done. The $6 million study will help determine the exact location of stops, operations and the feasibility of the project.
SunRail’s partners — including Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties — were asked to contribute $500,000 each to fund the study, an investment into a project that both residents and visitors will utilize throughout the region.
Tuesday, commissioners in Seminole County re-affirmed their partnership and made minor revisions to the agreement they have in place.
Commissioner Amy Lockhart, who is also on the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission, spoke with News 6 about the opportunities ahead.
“We’re going to have a lot more opportunities to bring investment, different types of employment bases,” Lockhart said. “[It’s] really a fantastic opportunity for our region.”
The current proposal would expand both SunRail’s commuter rail service and Brightline’s service in the Central Florida area. SunRail would eventually connect major destinations including the Orlando International Airport, Orange County Convention Center, International Drive tourist district and Disney Springs.
Although the physical track is not in Seminole County, Lockhart says it will enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors who can use the current service to connect to the new routes. She says it will take partners in both the public and private sectors to make it happen.
“This can’t just be about government, because this has to be a commitment on the part of the entire region,” Lockhart said. “The ridership is what is going to make this work. We can build it, but if they don’t come – if they don’t ride it - then it’s all going to have been for nothing. So, we need to make sure that we continue to talk about what’s coming and the exciting opportunities.”
Lockhart says the Orlando Economic Partnership was recently given a presentation on the Sunshine Corridor. She encourages business owners to get involved in a project that will be critical to our region’s advancement.
“We threw out a little challenge to the businesses and asked them to think about how their specific businesses, their industries can contribute. Not necessarily financially, but in ways of encouraging increased ridership,” Lockhart said.
Officials say the PD&E study is a crucial step in determining cost estimates, funding strategy and will also be part of the process for obtaining federal funding in the Federal Transit Administration’s project development process.
For more information on the proposed Sunshine Corridor, visit the project webpage.
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