Sunrail Important to Region on International Stage
Monday, June 13, 2011
By: Mark Simpson

June 13, 2011 | WMFE - Lobbying efforts are heating up on both sides of Central Florida's planned SunRail commuter train, ahead of Governor Rick Scott's self imposed end of June deadline to make a decision on the project. Advocates of the train worry a rejection could impact Central Florida's reputation outside the US.

Phil Laurien, a regional planning director in Central Florida says Sunrail is a major
selling point for international investors, "I recently had a visit from a member of the German
parliament.  They were here doing sustainability studies and looking for investment
opportunities in America.  And they see Orlando as a loser region unless we get rail
transit."

Governor Scott has put the project on hold while reviewing the economic impacts to the
state if it were built.

It's unclear which way he's leaning, though he did reject a planned high-speed rail line
between Orlando and Tampa earlier this year.

Sunrail would run  commuter trains along  61 miles of track spanning the Orlando metropolitan area from Poinciana to Debary.