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Tag: sunrail

  • FDOT hosts workshop to discuss SunRail extension to Polk County

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — As the Sunshine State continues to grow, so does demand for public transportation.

    The SunRail commuter rail service could make its way into Polk County sooner rather than later.

    The Florida Department of Transportation is hosting a special workshop to discuss what a possible extension would mean for local leaders and residents in Haines City.

    What You Need To Know

    • FDOT staff host a special workshop to discuss plans to extend SunRail commuter service to Polk County

    • Polk County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, with a projected population growth of over 1.2 million people by 2050

    • FDOT says an extension of the commuter service is necessary “to support this growth”

    • The 16-mile extension would extend service to Haines City, with stations in the Loughman and Davenport areas
    • A Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) study is currently underway to assess costs, benefits and environmental factors


    Polk County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, with a projected population growth of nearly 1.2 million people by 2050.

    According to FDOT, more than half of this growth is projected to take place in the northeastern portion of the county.

    To account for this growth, it’s seeking to expand the SunRail commuter service to Haines City, with two additional stations in Loughman and Davenport.

    FDOT staff discussed what it calls Transit Oriented Development (TOD) concepts with elected officials and local planners.

    This concept focuses on a variety of factors, including “designing areas that are within a quarter- to half-mile of transit stations to promote transit use” and how it could benefit those who choose to walk or bike.

    “For communities investing in transit like SunRail, growth must align with TOD principles to maximize ridership,” says FDOT Communications Specialist Patricia Pichette.

    Factors like the design of streets, development, parking, housing, and jobs within walking distance of stations strongly influence the use of public transit like SunRail, according to FDOT.

    The workshop also provided the public an opportunity to engage in an open discussion with FDOT staff and ask questions.

    Right now, SunRail operates over 61 miles, with 17 stations connecting the Greater Orlando region, from Volusia County down to Osceola County.

    Some of those service areas include DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando, Kissimmee and Poinciana.

    Poinciana is currently the southernmost point of the station.

    A first public meeting to discuss the SunRail extension Project Development and Environmental Study (PD&E) is scheduled for late September.

    The study, which is still in its early stages, will look at expansion benefits, environmental factors, preliminary conceptual costs and funding strategies.

    It will also serve as a way for FDOT staff to examine economic development opportunities and ways by which it could help improve mobility.

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    Sasha Teman

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  • SunRail’s expansion continues with imminent DeLand station opening

    SunRail’s expansion continues with imminent DeLand station opening

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    click to enlarge

    Photo via sunrail/Instagram

    SunRail’s long-awaited DeLand extension opens soon

    The DeLand SunRail station will open for business Monday, Aug. 12, the Central Florida light-rail company announced this week.

    The $40 million-plus expansion, which the SunRail commission narrowly voted to approve in October 2020, adds 12.2 miles of track from DeBary to DeLand. The station will be the new northernmost stop for the train line in Central Florida.

    Local residents will be able to travel from one of Orlando’s three stations — AdventHealth, Lynx Central and Church Street — or from Sanford north to DeLand for about $4. There, they can visit attractions including Hontoon Island State Park or DeLand’s bustling downtown.

    DeLand is about a 48-minute car drive north of Orlando, with a population less than one-fifth of Orlando’s. SunRail describes the area as full of opportunity on its website:

    “The area immediately surrounding the SunRail station provides a unique redevelopment opportunity for local residents and elected officials to serve commuter rail passengers in one of the fastest growing residential areas of the state.”.

    Once opened, the new station will act as a “northern terminus,” with all trains traveling south from that spot. Train service operates Monday through Friday. It departs every half-hour in the mornings and evenings and intermittently midday.

    The DeLand station connects with national railroad Amtrak, which runs north to Palatka and Jacksonville before spreading throughout the country. SunRail also offers connections through VoRide by Voltran, a pick-up and drop-off service running throughout DeLand, Orange City, Deltona and DeBary; Lyft, Uber and Mears.

    DeLand’s station opening comes after Maitland city leaders decided in June to opt out of their own SunRail contract.

    The Florida Department of Transportation will turn maintenance costs over to local governments starting in January. Maitland council members decided they couldn’t foot the almost $300,000 annual bill for a station that ranks second-lowest of all SunRail stops.

    Maitland city officials are now negotiating a new contract with the county, which they have until the end of 2024 to approve — or else their station may shut down permanently.

    Orlando stations, on the other hand, seem to be thriving. The downtown LYNX station saw the highest ridership of any location for the fiscal year 2024, according to SunRail monthly ridership data.

    SunRail is now considering opening stations at Orlando’s airport and Disney Springs in a $4 billion construction project across the city’s tourism corridor.


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    Zoey Thomas

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  • DeLand SunRail station gets an opening date, holds preview event

    DeLand SunRail station gets an opening date, holds preview event

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    DeLAND, Fla. – Hopeful train hoppers up in DeLand will soon be able to try out SunRail as the affordable passenger rail system plans to open a station next month in Volusia County’s seat.

    SunRail’s DeLand station at 2491 Old New York Avenue is set to open on Aug. 12, according to the rail service. Visitors to the station on Saturday even got a free tour.

    “We just live down around the corner and so we just wanted to see all of the activities this morning,” Jake Jacobs said.

    Jacobs lives in DeLand with his wife, Rachel, and came by to check out the preview event. The couple said they were excited about what the new station could mean for DeLand.

    “They’re going to bring a lot to this small town,” Rachel Jacobs said.

    While Rachel said she and Jake don’t use SunRail very often, the new station could encourage them to take more trips with the rail service.

    “Especially going out toward Kissimmee for the restaurants, Winter Park, and then you have Lake Mary, which I love Lake Mary,” Rachel Jacobs said.

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    The DeLand station will serve as SunRail’s northernmost stop, connecting Persimmon Hollow to DeBary, Poinciana, and more than a dozen stations in between along 61 miles of tracks.

    “Having the ability for residents to take the train in and work somewhere like Orlando Health or Advent and just get off the train and go to work is huge,” said DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman.

    Cloudman said work is also underway to better connect people with downtown DeLand and the train station, too. SunRail suggested passengers from the south take advantage of Volusia County’s VoRide service, offering rideshare transport for a flat rate of $2. Bicycle travel was also encouraged, as bicycles are welcome on SunRail trains.

    “The train has always been accessible to bring your bicycle on and bring it with you and when you get to your destination you can go enjoy the surrounding areas and then we have a number of options that will be available once you get here to get into town,” Cloudman said.

    The station off Old New York Avenue is about 3 miles from the heart of downtown DeLand. The city is now working with the county and state to put in a mixed-use trail so people can easily walk or ride a bike between the station and downtown.

    “Hopefully, this will become a popular destination and we’re looking at alternative means of transportation as well for that last-mile connection,” Cloudman said.

    SunRail recently rolled out a more efficient way for riders to purchase tickets. These changes come as SunRail is hoping to expand even further with the Sunshine Corridor, connecting Orlando International Airport to Disney Springs.

    “Now that the station is opening, it’ll be time for us to really examine what’s in the future, including possibly the Sunshine Corridor,” said Cindi Lane, public information officer for FDOT District 5.

    Learn more about SunRail and purchase tickets starting at $2 — with discounts available for seniors, youth, and passengers with disabilities — by clicking here.

    For additional information about the so-called Sunshine Corridor and how it could connect SunRail to Brightline, Orlando International Airport and beyond, click here.

    SunRail stations

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    Brandon Hogan, Molly Reed, Emily McLeod

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  • SunRail marks 10 years with expansion on the horizon

    SunRail marks 10 years with expansion on the horizon

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — SunRail marks 10 years of service on May 1, as the commuter rail line looks to a future of expansion and changes.

    What You Need To Know

    • Since SunRail service began 10 years ago, there have been more than 9.6 million riders

    • DeLand SunRail station to open this summer

    • Plans underway to extend SunRail to Orlando International Airport, convention center & Disney

    • Polk County is studying extending SunRail to Haines City

    The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) found that since service began in 2014, SunRail has served more than 9,650,000 riders.

    It is currently in its third year of double-digit ridership increases since the pandemic.

    The pandemic did bring a big hit to SunRail’s growth as a slew of people transitioned to working from home.

    “It’s clean, efficient, it’s cheap — I can’t say enough about it,” said Kevin Lawrenson, a retiree from Maitland.

    Lawrenson and his wife, Carma, take SunRail whenever they have business in downtown Orlando, or want to do some shopping or exploring at the other stops along the 49 miles of track from DeBary to Poinciana.

    “Taking the SunRail is the easiest way to go because there’s literally no parking downtown whatsoever,” Lawrenson said.

    Work is underway to extend SunRail another 12.2 miles to the north, to the new DeLand station, which is set to open this summer.

    After 10 years of operating SunRail, FDOT will hand over the reins at the beginning of next year to the five local funding partners: the city of Orlando and Osceola, Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties.

    They’ll be responsible for the estimated $50 million to $65 million deficit to operate SunRail annually.

    “No rail pays for itself, so we all understood that’s what’s going to occur,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

    Dyer says the city will be responsible for more than $15 million.

    Despite the financial challenges, Dyer has been one of the biggest champions for SunRail.

    Before he finishes his final term in office, he wants to see construction begin on a connection to Orlando International Airport.

    “The estimates are the piece to the airport will triple the ridership and we’ll have to go seven days a week, longer hours as well, so I think that’s the critical piece, getting to the airport,” said Dyer.

    Just last week FDOT released a study detailing plans to connect SunRail to Orlando International Airport in the east with the Orange County Convention Center, South International Drive and Disney Springs to the west.

    It’s called the Sunshine Corridor.

    If just the connection to the airport was made, FDOT found 3.7 million people would ride on SunRail. Currently, a million people ride SunRail each year.

    If the entire Sunshine Corridor were built, SunRail would see 6.4 million riders. The cost to build the entire project is estimated to be $3.1 billion to $4.4 billion.

    Funding would depend on federal, state and local governments, along with private partners like Brightline and the theme parks.

    Brightline wants to use the tracks as they have plans to connect Orlando International Airport to Tampa.

    Universal Orlando has offered up land for a station near the convention center and its new Epic Universe theme park.

    Orange County approved a new special district last year tied to Universal’s proposed SunRail station.

    After a planned Brightline stop at Disney was nixed, Walt Disney World told Spectrum News a SunRail stop is a possibility.

    “We have long been open to discussions around the proposed SunRail expansion to Disney Springs and have been engaged with state and community leaders on the topic,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to Spectrum News.

    Next up for Sunshine Corridor are meetings between FDOT, local leaders and the Federal Transit Administration. A $5 million to $6 million project development and environment study is also on the horizon.

    Polk County is also working with FDOT to look at extending SunRail, from where it currently ends in Poinciana.

    Currently, FDOT is in the process of hiring a consultant firm to lead an expansion study for the first phase, which would connect Poinciana to Haines City.

    Lawrenson is excited about the future of SunRail.

    As someone that tries to avoid I-4, getting to the antique store in Kissimmee may have been less desirable if he had to drive on the Interstate.

    “We most probably wouldn’t have come down here without SunRail,” Lawrenson said. “It’s just so convent for us.”

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    Jerry Hume

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