The long imaginary plan for Sunrail passengers to take a train to Orlando Airport or tourist attractions has taken a big step into reality.
The Central Florida Commuting Railroad Commission agreed unanimously on Thursday to conduct an important $6 million survey considering the feasibility of the proposed Sunshine Corridor and the Sun Rail extension from Orlando International Airport to the Orange County Convention Center and the theme park district.
Project, development, environmental analysis, and more commonly known as PD&E, delves into the predictive ridership of the Sunshine Corridor, system maintenance, operational costs, environmental impact, station location and precise routes.
Officials say a PD&E investigation is needed before the federal government and Florida even consider providing funding to build the project.
With an estimated cost of at least $4.4 billion, the Sunshine Corridor is likely not to be built with local funds alone, supporters say.
A press release calling the committee’s approval an “important step.”
“This will be another change project in our area,” said John Tyler, secretary for the Central Florida district of the state Department of Transport.
According to the plan, Sunshine Corridor will operate the train east from the existing Sun Rail Track in Orange County to the airport. It also extends westward to the Orange County Convention Center, International Drive and Disney Springs. Disney Springs is an outdoor venue with shops, restaurants and entertainment that will attract tourists and locals.
The Sunshine Corridor also offers a roughly 12-mile track towards the planned Tampa extension of Brightline, a high-speed train running between Miami and Orlando airports.
Supporters say the Sunrail expansion will help ease traffic congestion around the airport.
The Sunrail last year had 1.2 million passengers, up 12% from the previous year, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Last month, 5,982 riders boarded the Sunrail train, an increase of 13% compared to March 2024.
It took me several months to line up the funds for the investigation. FDOT, which oversees PD&E, agreed to a $2 million tip last year for the investigation. The Seminoles, Osceola, Orange County and Orlando have agreed to add $500,000 each. Universal’s destinations and experiences won $2 million, while the Central Florida Tourism Monitoring District won $500,000.
In 2022, Universal donated 13 acres to Sunrail Station at the Orange County Convention Centre along the Sunshine Corridor Route. A special tax district was later established for the donated land to help generate funds for the project.
Volusia County, which has two Sunrail stations along Sunrail’s 61-mile route, has yet to agree to fund the research, FDOT’s Tim Fried said Monday. Volusia officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Seminole commissioner Amy Lockhart and the chairman of the Commuter Railroad Commission, which oversees the operation of Sunrail, have called the Sunshine Corridor “a massive quality of life improvement” for local employers, workers, tourists and residents.
“The unanimous vote (by the Commuter Railroad Commission) to advance the Sunshine Corridor PD&E investigation reflects a common vision to expand passenger rail to serve residents and visitors in Central Florida further in our area,” she said in a press release from Dot.
