ORLANDO – SunRail is reviving efforts for a 12-mile extension to DeLand, Fla., hoping to learn this summer whether it will obtain the needed federal funding, despite some local qualms about the project.
The extension, which will require double-tracking from the current northern terminus of DeBary to DeLand, would complete construction along the 61-mile corridor purchased in 2005. It is estimated to cost $77 million, the West Volusia Beacon reports.
DeLand is in Volusia County, one of five local partners — with three other counties and the city of Orlando – in the SunRail project. The proposed extension would require Volusia County to pay about one-quarter of the costs, or $19.3 million, and the county council approved that expense at a meeting earlier this week – although not without reservations. The county is concerned about a planned 2021 handover of SunRail operating and maintenance expenses from the Florida Department of Transportation to the five local partners.
Responding to those concerns, the chairman of the agency that oversees SunRail offered Volusia County a chance to kill the DeLand station at a meeting Thursday.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, in a meeting of the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission, asked Volusia County chaiman Ed Kelley if the county wanted the station, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. Kelley said the county had committed to honor its contract. The county has previously indicated a desire to renegotiate
The DeLand station will be 3 miles west of downtown, requiring additional transit to reach there from the SunRail Station.
SunRail CEO Nicola Liquori said she hopes to know by the end of August if the state DOT will receive the approximately $34 million in federal funding needed for the project.
I am glad to see, that Sun Rail is trying to provide rail transportation to the General Public. At times like this, that can be very difficult.
The industrial spur in Deland comes to within two blocks of Stetson (a beautiful campus by the way) and a few blocks northwest of downtown Deland. End-of-track is along Michigan Ave. at Atlantic. But there are many street crossings and it might be prohibitively expensive to update these to FRA standards. Also no obvious place for a parking garage in that neighbourhood.
Seeing how Orlando Airport is a major way to get cheap flights around the world, Deland should just build a free parking lot next to the SunRail station. The region could just take SunRail to MCO for less money than it costs to park. I think its up to $17/day in the new garage where the Virgin/SunRail station will be.
Take the train to MCO, get off and walk over to the free APM to the terminal.
Funding might be better spent on building connections to new airport depot.
Mr. Rice,
I live in Volusia County. I have been saying exactly the same thing since the inception of SunRail. My vision was slightly different. Two stations, the main park & ride station out at the Amtrak locale (no expensive parking garage); then a station downtown on the spur. Trains could just shuttle in on a single track and reverse back out to the park and ride stop. But that makes far too much sense. Yes, more costly, but the downtown stop needs only one platform, etc.
Oh, the station in Deland is NOT an Amshak. The station is quaint and an original from the Atlantic Coast Line.
Lastly, SunRail must reach MCO (Orlando International Airport). SunRail will then be a hug success; for flyers and of course meeting Virgin to Miami.
Avery sensible suggestion. Deserves a response.
The planned SunRail station is on the far west side of DeLand next to the current Amshack. But there is nothing out there (its rural) and shuttle service (bus) would have to run back and forth from the city or take land to build a parking garage nearby. There is an industrial lead that is a left over from a branch line that ran out to the Atlantic coast, but has been truncated to just 3 blocks west of downtown DeLand.
I sent a letter to the mayor and development manager of DeLand suggesting they use that lead to bring SunRail to near downtown and close to Stetson University. Build the parking garage there where it would have dual use.
This would bring patrons into downtown, increase vibrancy, bring business to the downtown, get more students in and out of Stetson and possibly facilitate DeLand as a bedroom town for Orlando workers.
While I know its a reach, I did not hear back.
As it is today, putting the station 3 miles west of the city center will simply stall and defer its viability until some kind of development begins west of town and that probably will take many, many years to accomplish.
You can see why Deland wasnt jumping up and down on this.
Re: Brett Reid’s comment. It reminds me of the south Florida stories written by Carl Hiassen. Cooter and Cuzn Enos are alive and well.
Handing over expense & maintenance cost to local “partners” is a bad idea. Those “partners” are more likely to give jobs to Cooter, Cuzn Enos & Uncle Goober than hire professional technicians. That happens ALL THE TIME here in Miami, Trust me, I been here 22 years. BAD IDEA!!!!