(The following story by James Miller appeared on the West Volusia News-Journal website on August 12.)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Florida transportation officials have the federal go-ahead to start final design of the proposed Central Florida commuter rail project, rail supporters announced Monday.
The nod opens the door for $30 million in federal money, Florida Department of Transportation officials said.
It lets the FDOT buy land for stations, relocate utilities and start developing a prototype for the diesel train cars supporters hope will run along a 61-mile corridor connecting DeLand and Poinciana.
The Federal Transit Administration approval does not address the project’s most significant obstacle: lack of state legislative approval of a legal liability arrangement with CSX Transportation, the rail corridor’s current owner.
But, on Monday, rail supporters expressed confidence that obstacle, too, would be cleared.
“This is the first project probably in the history of the state other than Miami and certainly in Central Florida that’s ever reached this stage,” U.S. Rep. John Mica said during a news conference at a Walt Disney World resort.
“We’re pretty optimistic about moving forward,” said Mica, a Republican from Winter Park. “The alternative would be disastrous, because you would have to start the process basically all over again.”
Volusia, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties and the city of Orlando have committed tens of millions of dollars to the more than $1 billion project, which supporters say is a crucial transportation alternative in a region where the population is expected to double by 2050.
The federal government is slated to provide 50 percent of construction costs. State and local governments are slated to provide 25 percent each.
The FDOT has agreed to buy the tracks from CSX, which then would lease them part time for freight.
But, this spring, the state Senate declined to sign off on a provision of the agreement between FDOT and CSX that would shield CSX from most liability for accidents in the corridor.
The agreement allows either party to back out if liability legislation is not in place by June 30, 2009.
At the news conference, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, a Winter Garden Republican who has been one of the project’s most ardent supporters, said he’s confident lawmakers will reach an agreement in the spring.
“The paths are still being cleared, and we’re heading down a path to get commuter rail,” Webster said.
The project’s Senate trouble also stemmed from the opposition of some lawmakers concerned with the part of the proposal that would reroute some freight traffic through Lakeland and Ocala. In a statement issued late Monday, Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, said she hoped FDOT officials would move to sever that portion of the commuter rail agreement.
The Federal Transit Administration approval applies only to final design for the project’s 31-mile first phase, which would connect DeBary and Orlando. The second phase is planned to go from Orlando to Poinciana.
Construction costs for the first phase are estimated at $357 million, with the federal government contributing $178.6 million, according to the authority’s Monday letter to the FDOT.
“Now what we do with the federal government is start negotiating the full funding grant agreement,” said Tawny Olore, the state’s commuter rail project manager. “This allows us to get into the presidential budget.”