DELAND, Fla. – Ground was broken Monday for a new SunRail commuter station in Deland. The station is part of SunRail’s Phase 2 Northern Expansion. Phase 2 will add 12.2 miles to the SunRail corridor, expanding service from the DeBary SunRail Station to the new DeLand Station, with a projected opening in the summer of 2024.
The aesthetic appearance of the new station will align with nearby historic DeLand, featuring a center platform design and bring additional enhancements including six miles of double track for increased capacity. The expansion to DeLand marks SunRail’s 17th station. The current system spans 49 miles and serves 16 stations connecting Volusia, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola counties and the city of Orlando. The expansion will cost $42.8 million.
If memory serves……DeLand refused to support this station, by voice and by vote as well. So the county (Volusia) pitched in a little but the rest came from state/fed transit grants and other funds in the SunRail infra budget. The physical station is a couple of miles west of the city center.
Another oddity is that CSX has an industrial spur (2 customers left) that ends just 3 blocks from Stetson University that ties in with the SunRail line right in front of the current station. I always thought if SunRail wasn’t going to go any farther, you could put the last station just north of downtown DeLand and it would make a great development district. But the locals said no, not interested.
Developers are already buying out the land west of the new station to build apartments and condos. So the opportunities weren’t lost on them it appears.
Correct. With a station near the center of town Deland could have become a Sunrail destination, just like Winter Park is a Sunrail destination. Now, with the station out at Deland Junction, Deland will become just another Sunrail bedroom community. Nothing more.
What is the status of the trackwork? Longer sidings, more sidings? Is there going to be any AWWs that will close the route to Auto Train and the Silvers?
This is great and encouraging news for rail travel in Florida. Along with the new Brightline route opening soon from OIA to Miami this shows that passenger rail travel does have a bright future here in Florida. But let’s not stop here. SunRail should be able to build their extension to Orlando Airport and build more lines in Central Florida and the same also goes for further Brightline expansion as rgewell. One more important thing also to consider and must be done for SunRail to be truly sucessful and attract even more ridership and that is to introduce weekend service as well. People will ride and use the train once they know that there is a low cost and effective way to travel around Florida with ease and comfort. The state of Florida is rapidly approaching the saturation point of ovrcrowded highways and too many cars already creating congestion and clogged roads and streets. Now is the time For Florida to make the wise choice and expand the capabilities of rail travel Both Brightline and Sunrail can work together as a unique partnership to develop and expand rail service. Go SunRail and Brighline
Joseph C. Markfelder
“Now is the time For Florida to make the wise choice […]”. You’re right, Joseph, but history indicates that this state is rather short on wise choices.
Last year Volusia County talked about trying to bring SunRail to Daytona in the future, specifically to an area near the Speedway. Haven’t heard a peep since then which is about par for here. Yes to Jay! This State has been short on wise choices, one can only hope for the future.