(The following appeared on the Lakeland Ledger website on December 16, 2009.)
LAKELAND, Fla. — Q. What is SunRail?
A. SunRail will be a 61.5-mile commuter rail line serving the greater Orlando area. When fully operational, riders will be able to board a train in DeLand in Volusia County and travel south through Orlando to Poinciana in Osceola County. There are 17 stops along the line, including connections with Amtrak stations in DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando and Kissimmee.
Q. When will the trains begin running and what will it cost to ride?
A. The initial SunRail phase is expected to be running by 2012. Fares have not been set but are expected to be in the range of $2.50, with an additional $1 for travel extending into another county. There are four counties on the SunRail line – Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola.
Q. How long will the train ride take compared with driving on I-4?
A. It will take about 47 minutes to ride from DeLand to downtown Orlando, compared with an hour and 13 minutes by car during peak travel times. It will take about 35 minutes by train from Poinciana to Orlando, compared with 108 minutes by car. It will take about 93 minutes to ride the entire line. The trains will run every half hour during peak morning and evening times, with trains running every two hours in off-peak times.
Q. How many people will use SunRail?
A. Initial projections place ridership at 4,300 passengers per day rising to 7,400 by 2030.
Q. How much will SunRail cost taxpayers?
A. The project will cost more than $1.2 billion, including more than $600 million to build double tracks for the commuter system and the 17 stations. Another $600 million will go to CSX Transportation for the purchase of the existing rail line and improvements to other CSX lines and facilities as the private rail company shifts freight traffic from the Orlando area to other communities, including Lakeland. Of the initial $641 million in capital costs, the federal government will pay half of it, with the state and local governments in the Orlando area responsible for the rest.
Q. Will SunRail make enough money to support itself?
A. No. Like nearly all mass transit systems, it will operate at a deficit. The state will make up the operating deficit for the first seven years, with the local governments responsible after that. By comparison, the Tri-Rail commuter system in South Florida, which handles about 13,000 passengers a day, operates at an annual deficit of more than $50 million which is paid by the local governments and state.
Q. What are some of the longer-term benefits to SunRail?
A. It will provide a greener transportation alternative in a heavily congested region of the state. Promoters say SunRail will carry as many passengers as one lane of I-4 during peak travel times. Ultimately, SunRail could become part of a larger statewide network of rail service, including a potential high-speed rail line that would link Tampa to Orlando and eventually Miami.
Q. What are some of the criticisms of SunRail?
A. Taxpayers are paying too much for a system that will not be heavily used and does not directly connect to some key Orlando destinations.