Green light for special rail session
by Dara Kam | December 3rd, 2009The Senate kicked off the special session this morning setting into motion a financial fix for Tri-Rail, a thumbs-up on a Central Florida commuter line and the possibility of bringing in billions of federal dollars for high-speed rail projects.
This is the third time around for the controversial Central Florida commuter project known as “SunRail.” The Senate killed the deal – already signed off on by the Department of Transportation – twice, most recently in May.
Critics in the Senate, led by Paula Dockery, objected to the deal in which the state will pay transportation giant CSX Inc. more than $500 million for 61 miles of track for the commuter line. CSX will still be operate its freight on the line in exchange for a payment to the state of $1 per year.
The SunRail deal died in the Senate during the regular legislative session by a 23-16 vote. Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, now apparently has 21 of the 40 senators on his side – just the amount he needs to get the bill passed.
Atwater said the legislation will bring thousands of jobs to the state and boost its flagging economy.
“This is indeed time for visionaries,” Atwater said during a brief opening session this morning. “A time when the people of florida are demanding action and are desperate for relief.”
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on Tuesday.
Tags: commuter rail, Department of Transportation, Florida Senate, Jeff Atwater, Paula Dockery, SunRail, transportation, Tri-Rail
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December 3rd, 2009 at 11:40 am
If they are going to build a high speed rail system, do it right. Even if it means building in sections make it elevated, preferably monorail for speed and safety. If a high speed train running at 150mph on a ground level track hits a car, disaster. Elevated monorail can be built and run anywhere you can put up a support.
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:57 am
Didn’t we vote on this in 2000? Oh ya we did nd the high speed rail passed. Then the Florida House voted it down even though the “people” said yes.
Florida need this for tourism and to set an example for others. The high speed rail would make our roads less congested.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
We voted for high speed rail. THis is not that. THis is a 61 mile slow moving version of a subway that will run above gorund on CSXs old tracks if we pay them 150 times the national average cost for the tracks and let them continue to use it..THis is a bailout for developers and CSX that McCollum and Crist want!! It is masked as a mass transit program but the route is already serviced by buses. ( mainly empty ones). 80% of Central Floridians oppose this 3 billion dollar giveaway.