ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Looking at ways to improve public transportation has been a priority for local governments in Central Florida.

One way they are trying to do that is by expanding SunRail to Orlando International Airport and the attractions area.  

What You Need To Know

  • Looking at ways to improve public transportation has been a priority for local governments in Central Florida 

  • The SunRail expansion with the proposed Sunshine Corridor is now a step closer to becoming a reality, after all parties came together to pay for the Project Development and Environment study

  • On Thursday night, the Orange County Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission met to talk about a potential sales tax to support transportation options

  • The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission is also looking at expanding SunRail service to run on weekends — which officials said could increase ridership

On Thursday night, the Orange County Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission met to talk about a potential sales tax.

While no decision was made, the committee members said they plan to hear from SunRail and Lynx to see what they would do with extra funding and decide if it’s worth the board proposing a sales tax initiative again this year.

The SunRail expansion with the proposed Sunshine Corridor is now a step closer to becoming a reality, after all parties came together to pay for the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study.

“The fabulous thing about the contributions for PD&E study is that it was not just local governments that contributed, but the Florida Department of Transportation and the private sector have all come together to pull together the $6.5 Million needed for this study,” said Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission Chair Amy Lockhart.

She said the study will take a couple of years to be completed, and will show the commission the best routes for the Sunshine Corridor, with the least impact on the community and the environment.

Lockhart said the proposed expansion would be beneficial for Central Florida residents and visitors alike.

“The exciting thing about the expansion of the Sunshine Corridor is that it will allow people in the outer parts of the region to have a way to take the train, the SunRail train, to the airport, to the attractions,” she said.

The commission is also looking at expanding SunRail service to run on weekends — which officials said could increase ridership.

“I hear about it all the time. I see it on social media, I get emails, I get phone calls. ‘Please add weekends,'" Lockhart said. "And so, we’re exploring that. That’s something that we need to look at. It will it comes with a cost. We have to figure out what that looks like and how we’ll fund it."

Funding for SunRail has been a concern for many.

During Thursday night’s Orange County Transportation Mobility Advisory Commission meeting, residents shared their thoughts on what a possible transportation sales tax would look like.

“Transportation is needed. We’ve had this, I think we’ve had it twice before, the tax referendum, and, you know, I don’t mind at a personal level paying that extra cost for taxes as long as we can provide better transportation for the community,” Orange County resident Ismael Rivera said during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Past transportation sales tax proposals on the ballot in 2022 and 2024 failed to pass.

Lockhart said they need to find ways to work with local, state, and federal partners, as well as with the private sector, to be able to keep funding it.

“We must deliver. We don’t have a choice," Lockhart said. "It’s not that we can choose to fund SunRail or not. We have it. It’s benefiting a lot of people. We need to make sure that it benefits more people and that we’re running it in the most cost effective, efficient manner possible."

The next step in the process will be for the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission to choose the company that will do the PD&E study.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 24.