(The following editorial appeared on The Tampa Tribune website on August 3.)
TAMPA — Someone in state government needs to step up and address the standoff over the proposed commuter-rail project in Orlando.
The obvious choice would be Stephanie Kopelousis, secretary of the Department of Transportation.
But so far, Kopelousis has been little more than a cheerleader for the off-strategy project she inherited. It’s time she demonstrated leadership on behalf of all Floridians, not just Orlando’s politically powerful lawmakers.
In May the Florida Legislature rejected the deal her agency struck with CSX Railroad to buy 61 miles of track in Central Florida. But since the purchase agreement doesn’t expire until next year, supporters are preparing for a second legislative battle next spring.
DOT cannot afford to sit on its hands and hope for a different outcome, especially since the opposition shows no sign of budging. This state has a $30-billion deficit in public transportation projects, and DOT needs to get moving.
To find common ground, Kopelousis, with strong public support from Gov. Charlie Crist, should develop a process like that designed for the Tampa Bay Rays in the governor’s hometown. After failing to win public support for a waterfront ballpark in downtown St. Petersburg, the team agreed to let a group of committed citizens take a second, broader look. So, too, might fresh eyes find a better way to meet Orlando’s need for commuter rail.
Not The Best Route
Consider that the 61-mile route hardly touches the heart of Central Florida’s congestion. The line runs from Deland to Poinciana, nowhere near the airport, the University of Central Florida or Walt Disney World.
Yes, it’s a start. But at a cost of $1.2 billion and growing, the public isn’t convinced it’s the best place to start. A poll of Orlando citizens found 55 percent disapproved of the deal once its details were known. Even the mayor of Winter Park, whose community is bisected by the track, stands opposed. “I do not think the Central Florida commuter-rail project is in the best interest of our citizens financially,” says Mayor David Strong.
Seemingly logical alternatives exist. Just five years ago, Orlando talked about running a high-speed rail line alongside a toll road between Disney and the airport. The Interstate-4 median remains open and designated for rail.
The CSX deal didn’t come about because it was the best option. It came about because CSX approached the state with an offer to sell a portion of its A-line, one of the two major rail lines between Jacksonville and Central Florida. The railroad wants to shift freight trains out of Orlando and send them through downtown Lakeland and Plant City to a proposed 318-acre hub in Winter Haven.
CSX’s strategy is to improve its freight-rail lines and get taxpayers to foot the bill. Other states have rejected such subsidies, but former Gov. Jeb Bush, without any public debate, committed the Sunshine State to major investments in freight lines despite the significant backlog of public transportation needs.
Initially Bush committed $491 million to the CSX deal – $150 million for the tracks and $341 million for the hub and track improvements through the state’s back woods. The estimate has since jumped to $641 million because of needed rail overpasses.
The dollars add up like Monopoly money. Now consider that Tampa Bay’s fledgling commuter-rail effort this year had to plead to preserve $2 million in state start-up funds.
Restore Statewide Vision
If railroaded through, the CSX purchase would gum up a state strategy drafted in 2000 to provide faster and more reliable passenger-rail service between Florida’s urban centers. Bush changed the inter-city strategy after striking the deal with the freight railroad, a for-profit company.
The earlier vision better served citizens. It called for a partnership with Amtrak, which by federal law is allowed to use freight lines with appropriate modifications and accommodations. State Sen. Paula Dockery and Rep. Dennis Ross, both of Lakeland, want Florida to return to this fiscally conservative strategy, rather than buy and operate a new railroad.
It should be noted that early in the negotiations, DOT wanted to lease – not buy – the tracks. But after CSX insisted, Kopelousis says a decision was made that Florida “needs to own our destiny.” If that’s so, why does she want to sell highways like Alligator Alley?
While Amtrak cannot legally provide commuter rail, it can provide inter-city rail. With creative and strategic thinking, DOT could create a passenger-rail system that would not only benefit the traveling public between Deland and Poinciana, it would improve passenger-rail service from Jacksonville to Tampa to Miami.
There’s some question of whether Kopelousis is up to the task. Many consider her boxed in a corner, unable to think outside the box. She’s shown no discernable leadership since the deal’s defeat. Her heels appear dug in.
That’s why the governor, who inherited this backroom deal, should charge his DOT secretary with convening a credible – and visible – process to develop a Central Florida commuter-rail system that earns the public’s trust and support.
Kopelousis and DOT need a paradigm shift.
Rather than help a for-profit railroad achieve its strategic goals, DOT should focus on creating the best public transportation solutions for Florida taxpayers.