FDOT withdraws Deland SunRail

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FDOT withdraws TIGER grant application for Deland Sun Rail

Per Trains:.

ORLANDO, Fla. – State transportation officials have elected not to seek a federal grant to help pay for the extension of SunRail commuter service north toward the city of DeLand, The West Volusia Beacon reports.

The decision came during a recent meeting with the DeLand City Commission when Noranne Downs, the Florida Department of Transportation's District 5 secretary, said that it was a "consensus" of state officials at the district and headquarters levels that the application should not be submitted. The decision was a result of not being able to create a cost-sharing formula that met the goal of having half of the cost covered by federal funds, a quarter by the state of Florida, and the final quarter by local partners, the article says.

"The concern was that the TIGER-8 grant application as submitted wasn't going to meet the 50-25-25 cost sharing split," Florida DOT spokesman Steve Olso told the Beacon. "The $25 million wasn't working with the split. We worked on it, but couldn't find a viable way to move forward ... so the consensus was not to submit the application."

The agency applied for $35 million under last year's TIGER program to help fund a 12.1-mile extension of commuter service between DeBary, Fla., and DeLand, Fla., but the request was denied. Additional improvements included in the proposed extension calls for the construction of a DeLand SunRail station, grade crossing upgrades, and the installation of a train signaling system. The extension and additional improvements are expected to cost about $70.3 million.

The agency says it will continue to identify other potential funding sources.

SunRail operates a 31.7-mile commuter line between DeBary and Orlando's South Lake Road area with 12 stations