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Bold vision or wasteful boondoggle? That’s the question the Florida Legislature will decide on the future of a high-speed commuter rail line linking Tampa and Orlando.

 

After the state Senate scuttled rail legislation the past two years, the opportunity to build the so-called SunRail line now is too great to pass up.

 

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, was among the Republicans who voted to defeat the measures in the past, though this time he’s more open to the proposition. With House passage on Monday, the Senate takes up the bill today as the Legislature’s special session enters its sixth day grappling with the issue.

 

With the federal government dangling $2.5 billion in funding for the project, Florida would not have to bear the lion’s share of the cost.

 

Current legislation calls for $1.2 billion from state taxpayers, which includes the purchase of 61 miles of existing CSX freight tracks.

 

Plus, the Tri-Rail system in South Florida, which operates 50 trains daily, would receive an additional $15 million a year. Some time in the future, commuter rail would link Tampa to Miami.

 

The economic and environmental benefits are too tremendous to pass up.

 

In this age of record unemployment in the state, the rail project would put thousands of Floridians to work — with Gov. Charlie Crist’s estimating 14,000 in the coming years. The Florida Department of Transportation says the Orlando-Tampa rail line could mean up to 42,000 jobs eventually.

 

The state has already committed land along Interstate 4 for the route and finished environmental studies. The project is ready to roll.

 

Commuter rail would ease traffic on the heavily traveled Interstate 4 corridor. That, in turn, would negate the need for highway expansion and reduce the amount of fossil fuels exhausted into the environment. Fewer passenger vehicles on the highway also will speed commercial traffic, boosting business.

 

The economic impacts trickle down to Port Manatee, too. Infrastructure improvements on freight routes would ease bottlenecks and allow a larger number of shipments to head north.

 

With Port Manatee growing and poised to gain business when the Panama Canal expansion is completed is about seven years, the county could realize major economic and job gains.

 

One of the roadblocks to commuter rail legislation in the past has been releasing CSX from legal liability over train accidents, but the current measure requires the corporation to assume more responsibility.

 

The House bill also establishes a statewide rail authority and the responsibility to help launch other regional rail systems.

 

One of the components of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority’s master plan includes rail, which could some day link Manatee County to a statewide system.

 

If the Legislature sanctions a state rail policy, TBARTA’s plan stands a greater chance of success, as Frank Hibbard, the organization’s vice chairman, notes in the guest column below.

 

Florida’s transportation network needs more than highways. We should not maintain the status quo but build options.

 

Florida stands on the cusp of finally gaining ground on commuter rail, and the Legislature should realize that bold vision.

 

With every vote in the state Senate critical for passage, we urge Sen. Bennett to lead the way to support this legislation.