Transit officials, federal, state  and local funding partners, government officials and community representatives will on Friday, officially break ground on SunRail, Central Florida’s first-ever 61.5 mile commuter rail line.  The event will take place at the future home of the Altamonte Springs station, one of the 17 stops along the rail system.
The 31-mile first phase of SunRail will serve 12 stations, linking DeBary to Sand Lake Road, south of Orlando. The second phase will serve five additional stations, north to DeLand and south to Poinciana.
Estimated to cost $1.2 billion, the rail system is projected to create 13,000 new jobs through the construction, operation and maintenance phases and provide an economic boost of some $1.6 billion. In addition, Transit Oriented Development associated with the commuter rail line is expected to bring more than 245,800 new jobs and $7.1 billion in economic benefit.
Last July, an historic Full Funding Grant Agreement was signed between federal and local partners. Capital costs for phases I & II total $615 million, with the Full Funding Grant Agreement for phase I amounting to $357.2 million. The funding agreement provides 50 percent federal funding for capital costs for Phase I of the SunRail project. The state will pay 25 percent and local governments – Volusia, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola counties and the City of Orlando – will pay the other 25 percent of the capital costs.
SunRail is expected to begin operating in 2014.
