FL: SunRail to the airport? Region faces first critical hurdle

Since SunRail trains first rolled down the tracks more than a decade ago, advocates have dreamed of connecting the train line to the massive Orlando International Airport, which sees nearly 60 million passengers a year.

The planned Sunshine Corridor also would extend all the way to Disney Springs, making it possible to go from theme parks to airport gates without joining the crush of traffic on area roads.

But now, a critical hurdle for Central Florida’s transportation future has finally arrived:

The region must come together to pay for a $6 million study that demonstrates the Sunshine Corridor is worth its now-estimated $4.4 billion cost.

The need for consensus comes as local governments, as of Jan. 1, take over from the state the operations and maintenance of the existing, money-losing 49-mile SunRail route. While they may be worried about those costs, regional leaders will need strong persuasion to convince an incoming Trump administration to make a multi-billion federal investment in mass transit for the Orlando area.

“The airport is the most critical connection,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel Thursday, as he recited his pitch. “I know a lot of people, who probably never use SunRail, that would use SunRail simply to go to the airport.”

So far, the city of Orlando has agreed to pitch in $500,000 toward the project, development and environment study — more commonly known as a PD&E. The Florida Department of Transportation — which will oversee the study — said it will kick in $2 million.

Now, the onus is on Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Orange counties, whose leaders mostly back the Sunshine Corridor, but have yet to commit to any funding for the PD&E study.

The two-year comprehensive analysis will consider track alignments, environmental impacts and community support. Without such a study, “it would be impossible” to apply for federal funding, Dyer said.

In effect, that would mean local governments would have to find a way to raise billions of dollars to build the Sunshine Corridor entirely without federal help; build only portions of it; or nix the project entirely.

Brett Blackadar, deputy director of public works for Orange County, called the Sunshine Corridor a “critical” project to help alleviate congestion in the tourist corridor, which is expected to grow with Universal’s new theme park Epic Universe set to open in May.

More than 100,000 residents work in the area around the airport and theme parks along the corridor.

“We see this [Sunshine Corridor link] moving around a lot of service workers around, especially those that already rely on public transportation,” Blackadar said.

Orange is currently in discussions with the state DOT to contribute its $500,000 share of the PD&E study, he said.

Seminole County commissioners in April 2023 voiced support for the Sunshine Corridor and agreed to back any studies. But county officials have yet to decide how much to contribute toward the PD&E, although some have spoken enthusiastically about the corridor project.

“You won’t have to drive your car to the airport ever again if you don’t choose to. And that’s huge,” said Seminole County Commissioner Amy Lockhart, who lives near Sanford.

Volusia County spokesman Clayton Jackson said Thursday the county staff recently received a letter from the state about contributing to the Sunshine Corridor.

But county leaders “have not yet had the opportunity to discuss it,” he said.

Osceola County also is in discussions with FDOT over its contribution. But at a Dec. 2 meeting, commissioners hesitated to fund the study after voicing concerns over the funding that will be needed to meet the Sunshine Corridor’s construction and maintenance costs. The issue is expected to return to the commission next month.

“You do the PD&E, but then what goes on from there?” Commissioner Peggy Choudhry said Dec. 2. “What is going to be our expectation …. for future funding?”

It is possible private funders will may step in if the five governments along the SunRail are unable to come up with the money, Blackadar said.

Anxious for the project to succeed, Universal in 2022, for example, donated 13 acres of land for a SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center along the Sunshine Corridor.

The theme park giant also partnered with the I-Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce, which says the Sunshine Corridor has support from the area’s businesses.

“We have a private-public partnership working together, and that’s what it takes,” said I-Drive Chamber President Maria Triscari.

In 2023, Orange County — with the chamber’s support — approved a special taxing district for the donated Universal land.

“That is a mechanism that will generate funds,” Triscari said.

Another likely source of funding is Brightline, which announced plans to extend its service, which reached the Orlando International Airport just over a year ago, to Tampa.

The Sunshine Corridor proposal would have SunRail sharing with Brightline about 12 miles of track — from the airport to the Convention Center, then to the South International Drive tourist area and eventually to Disney Springs. From there, Brightline trains continue to Tampa.

John Tyler, the state DOT secretary for the Central Florida district, said the Sunshine Corridor could be built in stages, and he presented several options.

One shows a SunRail link from the Lynx Central station in downtown Orlando, heading south before making a sharp turn east just north of Meadow Woods and going straight to the airport. That would cost just under $400 million to build and serve an estimated 3.7 million riders within the first year.

A more expensive option would make an estimated $2.4 billion connection between the airport and the Convention Center. That would draw an estimated 4.4 million riders within the first year.

The longest route, to Disney Springs, would cost up to $4.4 billion and have an estimated 6.4 million passengers the first year.

“This is a very expensive project when you add up all of the costs to get all the way to Disney Springs,” Tyler said. “But you’re also going to have a dramatic result in the ridership of SunRail. Just by connecting to the airport, you’re tripling what you’re seeing now for ridership. … It will deliver profound results.”

Dyer said he’s optimistic about gaining the support of the Trump administration. President-elect Trump has selected former Wisconsin congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy to lead the U.S. Transportation Department. That said, he has also tasked business mogul Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with looking into how to cut trillions in federal spending.

“We have to do more about mass transit for places other than New York and Chicago,” Dyer said. “For places like Central Florida, we can’t build too many more roads.”

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