Press Releases

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today applauded Senate President Jeff Atwater, House Speaker Larry Cretul and the Florida Legislature for working together to enhance passenger rail transportation in the Sunshine State. The special session beginning today will address SunRail, Tri-Rail and high speed rail, which are considered the building blocks for improving Florida’s statewide transportation network.

 

“The rail projects now under consideration will reduce congestion on our roads for Floridians travelling to work, for visitors to the Sunshine State’s great attractions and for businesses moving goods and services,” Governor Crist said. “Faster, more efficient travel means people have more time for what matters most – supporting their families and building a better future for the next generation.”

 

Governor Crist, along with Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the economic impact the three rail projects will have on Florida’s economy. Also in attendance were Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo of the Agency for Workforce Innovation and Dr. Dale Brill, director of the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development.

 

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put Florida’s hard working families back to work and create a statewide transportation system that better prepares Florida for the future,” said Mark Wilson.

 

The three rail projects under consideration are as follows:

 

• Tri-Rail operates 50 trains daily from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade County. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), which operates Tri-Rail announced in April 2009 that a dedicated funding source is needed to prevent significant service reductions.

• The FDOT is working with the federal government and local officials to advance SunRail, a commuter rail transit project that will run along a 61-mile stretch of existing rail freight tracks in Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties.

• Florida has applied to receive $2.6 billion in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds for the Tampa-to-Orlando High Speed Rail Program.

 

“These rail projects will not only create long-term jobs but provide increased economic opportunities as we move people more effectively and efficiently along Florida’s transportation corridors,” said Secretary Kopelousos.

 

“With a statewide unemployment rate of 11.2 percent and one million Floridians seeking work, job-creation efforts like these rail projects are critically important to our state’s economic recovery,” said Cynthia Lorenzo. “These rail projects will create thousands of high-paying jobs that will directly benefit Floridians in need, their families and their communities.”

 

For more information about Florida’s use of the federal recovery dollars made available through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, please visit www.FlaRecovery.com.