A report from the Orlando Business Journal reveals that the Sunrail Management Board has unanimously approved a major step into the proposed Sunshine Corridor, a joint effort with Brightline to expand rail services in central Florida.
On April 24, the Central Florida Commuting Railroad Commission voted to move forward in a two-year, $6 million project development and environment (PD&E) survey. The study will focus on proposed corridors connecting Sunrail and Brightline, including planned stops at Orlando International Airport, Orange County Convention Center and South International Drive. The corridor also offers routes along Interstate 4, allowing Brightline’s future expansion into Tampa.
John Tyler, director of Florida Department of Transport (FDOT) district, called the vote a “critical step,” adding that the investigation is necessary to pursue federal funding for key planning questions such as relocation logistics, cost estimates and construction timelines, and to determine future local investments.
“This is a fundamental step to moving forward with the Sunshine Corridor,” Tyler told the Orlando Business Journal.
Funds and timeline
This study is fully funded by a combination of public and private sources.
$2 million from the $2 million Universal destination from FDOT is $500,000 each from the city of Orlando, the Central Florida Tourism Supervision District, and the counties of Seminole, Orange and Osceola.
FDOT is expected to make a final selection in late June, seeking a lead consultant proposal starting April 28th. The selected companies will work closely with consultants from Brightline and Universal’s Single Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District.
The research process will continue until May 2027, incorporating public engagement, pre-engineering work and sophisticated cost estimates.
Local participation and flexibility
Amy Lockhart, Seminole County Commissioner who chairs the Central Florida Commuting Railroad Commission, stressed the importance of flexibility among funding partners as a full financial situation forms.
“All fundraising partners have different views on how they think they can participate,” Lockhart said. “We all have access to different levels of resources, so we need to have the flexibility to participate in the ways our partners can do.”
Lockhart noted that understanding the potential mix of federal, state and private contributions is important to determine the amount of local funding needed.
Extensive community support
The proposed Sunshine Corridor attracts strong support from business leaders and local stakeholders. Some of those who expressed their support during the April 24 meeting were
The owner of Hilton Orlando near the proposed convention center has stopped Maria Triskali, president of the Orlando Economic Partnership Government Issues SVP, International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce.
O’Malley noted that support for the project is far beyond central Florida. “I’ve heard from hundreds of members of the community, including people in the Tampa area, and the support for this is beyond our area,” he said.
