Latest news with #CentralFloridaCommuterRailCommission
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SunRail extension to Orlando airport, theme parks moves ahead
A long imagined plan to give SunRail passengers a train ride to the Orlando airport or the tourist attractions has taken a big step toward reality. The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission unanimously agreed on Thursday to conduct a key $6 million study that will look into the feasibility of the proposed Sunshine Corridor, a SunRail extension from the Orlando International Airport to the Orange County Convention Center and the theme park district. The two-year study — known as a project, development and environmental analysis or more commonly as a PD&E — would delve into the projected ridership of the Sunshine Corridor, the system's maintenance, operational costs, environmental impacts, station locations and exact routes. Officials say the PD&E study is required before the federal government and the state of Florida would even consider providing any amount of funding to build the project. At an estimated cost of at least $4.4 billion, the Sunshine Corridor likely could not be built solely with local funds, supporters say. A press release called the commission's approval a 'significant step forward.' 'This will be another transformational project for our region,' said John Tyler, secretary of the state's Department of Transportation's Central Florida District. According to plans, the Sunshine Corridor would run trains eastward from the existing SunRail tracks in Orange County to the airport. It also would extend westward to the Orange County Convention Center, International Drive and Disney Springs, an outdoor venue with shops, restaurants and entertainment that attracts tourists and local residents. The Sunshine Corridor would also provide about 12 miles of track toward a planned Tampa extension for Brightline, the high-speed train that now runs between Miami and the Orlando airport. Supporters say the SunRail extension would help ease traffic congestion around the airport, which handles more than 60 million air travelers a year. Last year, SunRail had 1.2 million passengers, a 12% increase from the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Transportation, or FDOT. Last month, 5,982 riders boarded SunRail trains, up 13% compared to March 2024. It took months to line up funding for the study. FDOT, which would oversee the PD&E, agreed last year to chip in $2 million toward the study. Seminole, Osceola, Orange counties, as well as the city of Orlando, then agreed to each add $500,000. Universal Destinations & Experiences has committed $2 million and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District $500,000. In 2022, Universal donated 13 acres for a SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center along the Sunshine Corridor route. A special taxing district was later formed for the donated land to help generate funding for the project. Volusia County — which has two SunRail stations along SunRail's 61-mile route — had not yet agreed to commit funding toward the study, FDOT'S Tim Freed said Monday, making it the only county on the line to hold back. Volusia officials did not respond to requests for comment. Seminole Commissioner Amy Lockhart and chair of the Commuter Rail Commission — which oversees SunRail operations — calls the Sunshine Corridor 'a huge quality-of-life improvement' for the region's employers, workers, tourists and residents throughout the region. 'The unanimous vote [by the commuter rail commission] to advance the Sunshine Corridor PD&E study reflects our shared vision to expand passenger rail to serve even more Central Florida residents and visitors in our area,' she said in a DOT press release.
Business Journals
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
SunRail board approves $6M study for Sunshine Corridor project
Local officials and business leaders are expressing enthusiasm for a potential new rail corridor, though the path from study to reality involves navigating complex funding and logistical challenges. Story Highlights Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission approves $6 million Sunshine Corridor study. Proposed corridor includes stops at Orlando airport and convention center. Study will run until May 2027, informing SunRail's project decision. SunRail's governing board approved a key study tied to the proposed Sunshine Corridor with Brightline and SunRail. The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission voted unanimously April 24 to advance a $6 million, two-year project development and environment study for the corridor. John Tyler, District 5 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation, told Orlando Business Journal the vote starts a "key step" for the project, setting the stage to apply for federal government funding and answer key questions like how transfers would work, as well as finalize project costs, construction timelines and more. He said those details are needed to help the commission determine whether it wants to dedicate more local dollars to the project. "This is a foundational step in moving the Sunshine Corridor forward." The proposed corridor would have stops at Orlando International Airport, near the Orange County Convention Center and South International Drive, plus with a route along Interstate 4 to allow Brightline to expand to Tampa. The study is fully funded, with commitments of $2 million each from the Florida Department of Transportation and Universal Destinations & Experiences, as well as $500,000 apiece from the city of Orlando, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, and Seminole, Osceola and Orange counties. FDOT on April 28 will advertise for a consultant to lead the study, and one will be picked in late June. That company will collaborate with consultants from Brightline and Universal's Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District. The process will run from now until May 2027 and include engagement with the general public, preliminary engineering and more detailed cost estimates. Amy Lockhart, chair of the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission and a Seminole County commissioner, told OBJ figuring out the funding picture for the local partners will be key. That includes seeing how much private, federal or state funding the project could get, which would give a clear picture of how much local government money may be needed. "Every funding partner will have a different view on how they think they can best participate," she said. "We all have a different level of resources available to us, so we will need to make sure we allow flexibility for partners to participate in the ways they can." Those who voiced support of the corridor during the meeting included RIDA Development Corp. — which owns the Hilton Orlando near the proposed convention center station — Maria Triscari of the I-Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce and the Orlando Economic Partnership. Bob O'Malley, senior vice president of government affairs for Orlando Economic Partnership, said he has heard interest from dozens of members of the community about the corridor, as well as those from places like Tampa. "The support for this extends beyond our region." Sign up for the Business Journal's free morning and afternoon daily newsletters to receive the latest business news affecting Orlando. Download the free OBJ app for breaking news alerts on your phone. Architectural Firms 2024 C. Fla. architecture billings Rank Prior Rank Firm 1 1 HuntonBrady Architects 2 2 Baker Barrios Architects Inc. 3 3 Schenkel Shultz View this list
