D-Day for Sunrail: CSX-SunRail Deal Faces Showdown in Senate

[tufsu1]

Here's the real kicker....the Senate doesn't like the $600 million going to CSX (thinking its too expensive)...of course all they had to vote on was the $200 million insurance issue....instead we get this!

Also in peril is as much as $307 million in federal funds that had been promised to SunRail by U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, and John Mica, R- Winter Park. They have said the money likely would go to other communities.

[tufsu1]

Most dramatically, Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, warned of a scenario where a CSX engineer who was impaired by drugs hits a school bus and kills or maims dozens of children.

"He hits the school bus and little bodies are everywhere," Storms said in a hushed Senate. "The state is responsible for that. The only thing that CSX would be responsible for is their train and their driver. Bus, little bodies, weeping moms and dads: The state is responsible."

This may be the most ridiculous opposition for rail in FL.

from easily the most ridiculous state legislator in Florida!

[thelakelander]

^That type of thinking right there is the reason I believe Tampa's LRT sales tax increase referendum will fail in 2010.

In Charlotte, a debate had been brewing about the community being forced to select 1 of 2 rail expansion projects to construct next.  Before the financial crisis, their original plans had these rail corridors being constructed at the same time.  Florida and Orlando may have just ended that debate.  They'll probably be able to build both, in addition to what they already have, with a little extra federal money thrown their way.  Maybe Orlando and Charlotte should become sister cities.  They definitely are linked when it comes to mass transit.

[thelakelander]

Its official, Sunrail just died for good and Tri-Rail could be potentially laying off 300 workers and cutting service. 

TALLAHASSEE -- In the dying hours of the session, the Florida Senate brought back the SunRail amendment for one final showdown on the floor -- and defeated it on a 16-23 floor vote.

Sens. Lee Constantine, Carey Baker, and Jeremy Ring, offered an amendment that contained the insurance language for the CSX-SunRail deal that includes the $2 rental-car surcharge for Tri-Rail that requires a non-binding referendum.

SunRail critics started to question the amendment. Stay tuned.

The Senate extended its session until 8 p.m.And Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, took the floor and doesn't sound like she's had a change of heart.

"Members, we don't have a lot of money," she said. 'We're cutting $6 billion from our budget."

Ring, a Broward County Democrat, then implored his members to support the amendment because it would keep Tri-Rail from laying off half its staff of 300.

Then Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, closed on the amendment by reminding senators that $432 million was going to CSX and that was the appraised price of the rail line, and "this is the most important issue for Central Florida and I believe the future of the rest of the state."

And, it was defeated 16-23. SunRail finally got its vote.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/sunrail/

[JeffreyS]

And of course CSX is going to run all of those trains strait though Lakeland regardless. Congrats senator Dockery you won nothing.

[thelakelander]

At least one Lakeland leader gets it!

But Commissioner Gow Fields made clear Friday night that he was not celebrating the bill's defeat.

"We are going to have more trains through downtown Lakeland whether or not that Senate bill failed," he said. "Lakeland needs a plan to deal with more traffic either way."

That's because the city sits on the major East-West route for freight traffic through this part of the state, he said, and train traffic will increase as the economy improves and the population again begins to grow.

Fields said he was "very concerned" that with the defeat of the bill, the focus could now shift off of the problem of transportation.

"Our state leaders have failed miserably to plan for traffic," both automobiles and trains, he said.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090501/NEWS/905015035/1410?Title=2nd-Defeat-Likely-Dooms-Proposed-Commuter-Rail

[FayeforCure]

Also in peril is as much as $307 million in federal funds that had been promised to SunRail by U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, and John Mica, R- Winter Park. They have said the money likely would go to other communities.

Maybe other communities in Florida? Or..........given some of the threats made.......maybe not.......

The only thing driving SunRail at this point is the promise of federal matching dollars that may not materialize. It's true that Brown and Mica believe they can direct the money Florida's way, but it hasn't been appropriated yet. And earlier threats from the pair to the effect that other Florida projects would be denied funding if SunRail is stopped are unbecoming scare tactics.

http://www.masstransitmag.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=8556&pageNum=2

[thelakelander]

What are the other Florida rail-based projects applying for federal dollars at this time?  Outside of Miami (a Metrorail extension project broke ground this past week), I'm not aware of anything far enough along.

[FayeforCure]

What are the other Florida rail-based projects applying for federal dollars at this time?  Outside of Miami (a Metrorail extension project broke ground this past week), I'm not aware of anything far enough along.

Maybe Orlando could revive its light rail program which was well developed in 2000:

January 27, 2000 Orlando Sentinel (Scott Maxwell) â€" RIDE THE RAILS â€" IDEA THAT JUST
WON’T GO AWAY

-Light rail from Orlando to State Road 436 in Seminole County. This is the
plan already being studied with state money. It has earned the early support
of virtually every local community with a unanimous vote from Metroplan
earlier this month. The two communities that protested most a few years
ago â€" Maitland and Winter Park â€" said that they like any light rail idea â€" as
long as it doesn’t split their communities in half the way the original plan
proposed. A plan that follows near Interstate 4 may be the most agreed
upon route….

http://www.metroplanorlando.com/site/upload/documents/Headlines_HistoryOfPassengerRail_web.pdf

[thelakelander]

They can revive it, but they'll have to get in line for federal money.  Its a process that will take at least five years or so, similar to what Sunrail went through.

[thelakelander]

Btw, the quickest way for rail improvement in Orlando and the rest of Florida is to lobby for an Amtrak corridor service.  This way, Amtrak's federal stimulus money can be tapped to upgrade rail lines and service throughout the State.

[thelakelander]

CSX Haven Project to Be Delayed
Company had planned to open freight terminal by 2011.

By Tom Palmer
THE LEDGER

Published: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:12 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:12 p.m.

WINTER HAVEN | The combination of the economic downturn and the failure of commuter rail legislation in the Florida Legislature will delay construction of the CSX freight rail terminal in Winter Haven, CSX spokesman Gary Sease said this week.

The project, which was announced in 2006, involves building a freight terminal on a 318-acre site on the south side of Winter Haven.

Winter Haven commissioners approved the project, which was reviewed as a development of regional impact, in December.

Construction had been expected to begin later this year.

Sease said the Jacksonville-based railroad had planned to open the facility by 2011 if legislators had approved commuter rail because the deal included $23 million to subsidize moving CSX equipment from its present facility in Orange County to the Winter Haven facility.

Without that money, Sease said the market will dictate the project's schedule.

full article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20090508/NEWS/905085079/1134?Title=CSX-Haven-Project-to-Be-Delayed

[thelakelander]

Four years ago, this would not be possible.  The President and federal government continues to push Sunrail despite the State attempting to kill it.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Confirms Federal Commitment to Commuter Rail

Washington, D.C. â€" The President’s budget released today confirms the federal commitment to developing commuter rail for Central Florida, according to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL).

“The Administration is fully committed to the Central Florida Commuter Rail project,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I urge state and local leaders to work together to resolve any problems to move the project forward. Commuter rail for Central Florida is important to the state and the nation.”

“In spite of the Florida legislature’s failure to provide terms of liability for Central Florida Commuter Rail, the federal government has kept its commitment throughout the project,” said Mica, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader. “I was pleased to receive this personal confirmation from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Mica is working with state and local leaders to explore all options for keeping the Commuter Rail project moving forward.

The President’s budget includes $40 million in New Starts funding for Central Florida Commuter Rail. New Starts is the Federal Transit Administration program to build new or extend existing rail transit systems. The $40 million in funding for final design activities is a down payment on the total federal funding commitment that will be finalized when the project receives a full funding grant agreement.

http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2009/05/04/daily47.html

[Ocklawaha]

CSX Haven Project to Be Delayed
Company had planned to open freight terminal by 2011.

By Tom Palmer
THE LEDGER

Published: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:12 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:12 p.m.

WINTER HAVEN | The combination of the economic downturn and the failure of commuter rail legislation in the Florida Legislature will delay construction of the CSX freight rail terminal in Winter Haven, CSX spokesman Gary Sease said this week.

The project, which was announced in 2006, involves building a freight terminal on a 318-acre site on the south side of Winter Haven.

Construction had been expected to begin later this year.

Sease said the Jacksonville-based railroad had planned to open the facility by 2011 if legislators had approved commuter rail because the deal included $23 million to subsidize moving CSX equipment from its present facility in Orange County to the Winter Haven facility.

Without that money, Sease said the market will dictate the project's schedule.

full article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20090508/NEWS/905085079/1134?Title=CSX-Haven-Project-to-Be-Delayed

Lake this could be a cloud with a golden lining, if we are talking about jobs, Intermodal, International Intermodal, maybe we should take this out of the hands of both CSX and Central Florida. I'm not talking Commuter Rail here, rather I'm talking about a port without water called
"CECIL FIELD INTERNATIONAL INTERMODAL CENTER".  Okay, so it's another of Ock's plans, but I think it could get legs!

Y'all check out the article on Jacksonville Transit:

http://jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com/

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

I don't know.  The Winter Haven thing is a done deal and caters to the Central Florida industrial and shipping scene.  I don't think an intermodal center at Cecil will impact the need for better facilities in Central Florida one way or the other.