SunRail

[SKK]

I have an eerie feeling that parking lot is going to look very similar in 2014.

 

I'm curious, how many of UP'ers plan on using SunRail once it's up and running? I would ride the North/South Lymmo on a daily basis, but I don't have a use for SunRail.

 

I can see taking it into Winter Park, but that's about it. I have family in DeLand and may use it to get there and back once the entire line is up and running, especially if I need to travel during heavy I-4 traffic (although it is not conveniently located in DeLand).

How far is the Sanford station going to be from downtown there?

[Xander]

I can see taking it into Winter Park, but that's about it. I have family in DeLand and may use it to get there and back once the entire line is up and running, especially if I need to travel during heavy I-4 traffic (although it is not conveniently located in DeLand).

How far is the Sanford station going to be from downtown there?

From Sanford, the SunRail stop looks to be about a mile from downtown. Not bad. They're also working on a free Lynx circulator from the station into downtown and the mall.

[FLClarkKent]

I have an eerie feeling that parking lot is going to look very similar in 2014.

 

I'm curious, how many of UP'ers plan on using SunRail once it's up and running? I would ride the North/South Lymmo on a daily basis, but I don't have a use for SunRail.

 

I think most of UP'ers live downtown, so SunRail won't have much practical use for us. As a commuter rail line, it's primary purpose is to bring workers from the 'burbs into the core in the morning and then back home at the end of the day.

 

I live downtown and would certainly consider hopping on SunRail to go to Winter Park for an afternoon, but I don't expect to be able to use it much beyond that. The line wouldn't take me places that I would want/need to go.

 

One of the challenges that SunRail boosters will need to overcome is dealing with people's expectations that commuter rail is the same as light rail. They are different beasts and they serve different ridership groups. People who want a light rail experience will be disappointed in SunRail. That being said, I hope that SunRail inspires the powers that be to get on board with light rail. I think there's a real need and a growing interest in improving public transportation.

 

I can see taking it into Winter Park, but that's about it. I have family in DeLand and may use it to get there and back once the entire line is up and running, especially if I need to travel during heavy I-4 traffic (although it is not conveniently located in DeLand).

How far is the Sanford station going to be from downtown there?

 

As best I can describe, the Sanford SunRail station is west of downtown (between downtown and the Seminole Towne Center mall).

[alex]

From today's OBJ: Seminole County considers extending SunRail to Sanford airport: report

 

One of the challenges that SunRail boosters will need to overcome is dealing with people's expectations that commuter rail is the same as light rail.

 

 

 

It's hard not seeing it as a light rail type system, considering it could connect to two airports and the tourist area.  I think people living in the outskirts of town who work downtown will get the most out of it.

[prahaboheme]

You see these types of commuter rail / light rail hybrids all over Europe. It's success will come down to frequency and accessibility, ease of use. Sanford Airport is too far from pretty much anything to support a light rail, so a SunRail spur does make logistical sense. However, I do not think it should come before an OIA connection.

[Captain.Metro]

I have an eerie feeling that parking lot is going to look very similar in 2014.

 

I'm curious, how many of UP'ers plan on using SunRail once it's up and running? I would ride the North/South Lymmo on a daily basis, but I don't have a use for SunRail.

I would definitely use SunRail from downtown to Park Avenue. I hope plans to keep it running later and on the weekends is considered. Park Avenue is a great place to visit on Saturday mornings, however, I don't go because once I'm home (Thornton Park) I rarely ever get into my car.

[Jernigan]

Phase 3 would be the east west connection focusing on the OCCC, OIA, Lake Nona using either the Sand Lake and/or the Meadow Woods stations as transfer points.

Agree that the further points, Volusia and Osceola, into the 4 downtown stations and Winter Park will be the bulk of the ridership. That said, keep an eye on the transit orientated development happening in Lake Mary and Longwood. If you can take the car ride to the train station out of the equation, SunRail would be the way to work in downtown for many people. That development will also be what makes this commuter rail feel much more like a light rail service.

[uncreativeusername]

I do worry about the initial usage of SunRail, but I think for a city like Orlando that has developed entirely devoid of a real mass transit infrastructure, it is very hard to find a perfect initial route that would be instantaneously busy.  

 

To me, the value in SunRail is really in incentivizing future development patterns.  Say you moved to Orlando 5 years ago for a job downtown; if mass transit was something that you valued, there were no related motivators in deciding what part of town you might move to.  With SunRail operational, for the folks who do place value on mass transit options, areas around SunRail stops are now wildly more desirable.  Build it and they will come...but we need to give them some time to get there.  SunRail isn't about reaching everybody right away - it is about a. adding an option for the people that care about mass transit the most, thus affecting future development patterns and b. serving as the backbone for a future, wider-spread transit plan.  I hope local leaders are able to demonstrate the leadership and political will to wait out this transition.  

[John Hargrove]

Some activity on the rails across Church St today. I assume SunRail related?

 

 

[smileguy]

Yes - they're replacing the plastic (?) plates at the rail crossing with concrete. Should be over by tomorrow morning.

[Ocityst]

4 cities plan to offer 'FlexBus' service at SunRail stations without Lynx

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/traffic/os-sunrail-station-bus-service-20130520,0,5183243.story

[Jernigan]

Sun rail has done a redesign on their website - sunrail.com - now aimed at the consumer versus a project public info. sort of site

[smileguy]

Sunrail platform covers started going up on Church Street today.  I didn't get a photo, but will soon!

[Xander]

Sunrail platform covers started going up on Church Street today.  I didn't get a photo, but will soon!

The south platform? I didn't see anything at the north one today.

[Bungalower-MattBroffman]

Covers are up on the FL Hospital/Health Village stop....If you cross over the bridge fromt the parking garage to the hospital you can get a great view. Unfortunately my phone was dead at the time

[Bungalower-MattBroffman]

I think we've talked about this before on here but it's worth posting my disappointment again..

 

"SunRail trains will arrive at each station every 30 minutes during peak service times when traffic on the roads is trypically at its worst. During non-peak periods, trains will operate every 2 hours. Initially, there will be no service on the weekends."

 

How silly....2 hours off-peak and no weekends! I get that it's a commuter train but most people will need to ease into the idea of taking a train. The best way to do that is to run on the weekends when people aren't in a rush and are going to Winter Park or Downtown for an event or for dinner. Convince them to take it once (e.g. free on Magic game nights, Broadway show nights, etc.) and show them how nice and easy it is.

[Dale]

I agree. All that ... for just that ?

[JFW657]

Same here.

During the initial startup phase is when they should be doing everything they can to get people "onboard", pun intended.

[Jernigan]

I agree that they should be doing things like free rides, corporate outings and whatever other creative things they can do up front to get people on to the train...

But running a service like weekends or evenings wouldn't do anything more than cause a headache when that service goes away. Even if it has a nice amount of riders, that doesn't mean that they would be able to continue running the service. The whole system, as it is, will run a deficit like buses or roads. So if there isn't a funding source to cover the service, what's the point of getting people excited about it?

The train will be running until 10pm or so and has the flexibility in the schedule to run more often or at least work around a Magic Schedule. But really, at that point, when there's no traffic on I-4 like around 10PM, if the train isn't providing a service to everyone by easing traffic, who, outside of the Magic (or DPAC, Winter Park Festival, etc) should be paying for that service?

[aent]

Tri Rail runs hourly on weekends and it gets a fair amount of traffic based on my usage. Its usually an entirely different set of riders too getting introduced to it. I don't mind holding off on weekend service until phase 2 launches (or I-4 construction starts) though, as I think that will help the numbers significantly.

[JFW657]

I guess the most important thing is that it will be here & we'll have it.

 

Hopefully for good.

[jgardnerucf]

There still needs to be a stop added around Oak Ridge Rd/ Orange Ave (the old Correct Craft location). The Denny's stop, straight to ORMC, passes a ton of residents in Pine Castle/Oak Ridge/Edgewood/Belle Isle.Not to mention, major Lynx lines run Oak Ridge and Orange right there with routes coming in from FL Mall and Sky Lake. (a lot of bus ridership demographic.) Taking the SunRail and getting the 7 to FL Mall or piggyback to the 8 to Millenia/I-Drive would open a door for channeling this bus area and that demographic. Too bad there isn't a location here.

[JFW657]

Yeah, seems like Oak Ridge would be a no-brainer.

 

Probably happen after it's up & running.

 

What about Michigan btw?

 

Is there one there?

[Captain.Metro]

Yeah, seems like Oak Ridge would be a no-brainer.

 

Probably happen after it's up & running.

 

What about Michigan btw?

 

Is there one there?

The closest to Michigan would be ORMC, which isn't terribly far for that district.

[gibby]

There still needs to be a stop added around Oak Ridge Rd/ Orange Ave (the old Correct Craft location). The Denny's stop, straight to ORMC, passes a ton of residents in Pine Castle/Oak Ridge/Edgewood/Belle Isle.Not to mention, major Lynx lines run Oak Ridge and Orange right there with routes coming in from FL Mall and Sky Lake. (a lot of bus ridership demographic.) Taking the SunRail and getting the 7 to FL Mall or piggyback to the 8 to Millenia/I-Drive would open a door for channeling this bus area and that demographic. Too bad there isn't a location here.

I completely agree.  The Oak Ridge bus lines probably have a large ridership and the Pine Castle area is perfect for TOD.  I've always been confused about why this was not included from the start.  I'd also love to see a stop at Holden but that's not as much of a no-brainer as Oak Ridge.