ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida counties are preparing to tack millions onto their budget to cover operating costs for SunRail.
The state currently operates the commuter rail service, but as soon as this summer, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, and Orange counties could see a transition that would have them front the costs.
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It’s a transition that has been in the works for years, but several hurdles are still ahead.
Before the transition happens, the DeLand station needs to get up and running, as it’s the last of 17 stations the state said would be completed.
Operating the 61-mile system comes with a multimillion-dollar price tag.
Read: Officials break ground on new SunRail station; see where
“Public transportation, as you know, never pays for itself, but it provides a public service,” said Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower.
Brower said there are lots of unknowns when it comes to how that transition will occur.
“It’s here it’s coming,” he said. “We’ve got to make it as valuable as possible to our residents. I want more than 200 the estimated 200 people a day riding it.”
Read: SunRail sees huge turnout for free Saturday. Could weekend service return?
The state’s trying to negotiate a contract that would hand the day-to-day operation of SunRail over to Lynx, and local counties are still waiting on better estimates to determine their fair share for covering costs.
“Financially, it’s going to be a heavy lift,” Brower said.
Orange County has $7 million dedicated to SunRail in their proposed budget this year, with $3 million set aside for that potential SunRail takeover.
Read: SunRail gave free rides Saturday, including in downtown Orlando; how did it go?
“We have to have the dollars available should that transition have to occur,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
Even as Orange County errs on the side of caution, Demings said he doesn’t think a transition date is set in stone.
“The other local partners may say, ‘State, were not going to take this on. We think you need to put more dollars in.’ And that’s why it’s a negotiated process,” he said.
Other partner counties said Thursday they’re also trying to budget for the potential takeover next year, but it’s very likely that the transition could be delayed again past 2024.
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