Why commuter rail?

Sources Penn Design study Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles MyRegion.org, Central Florida Indicators Report 2005 MetroPlan Orlando and University of Central Florida study, 2008 Metroplan Orlando Annual Report, 2009 Texas Transportation Institute 2009 mobility study of 2007 data

Population growth equals more traffic delays

• Population of Central Florida is expected to more than double in less than five decades (1)
• More than 100,000 additional vehicles were registered in Central Florida between 2004 and 2008 (2)
• Vehicle miles traveled in Central Florida have almost tripled since 1982 (3)
• Gasoline consumption has increased an average of 34 percent in the last decade (3)
• More than 88 percent of Central Floridians polled by the University of Central Florida believe that the region needs a more balanced transportation system -- including increased transit options such as passenger rail and buses (4)
• SunRail provides new opportunities to focus growth in urban areas and improve job opportunities
• SunRail provides reliable mobility service during peak travel times

Tourism

• Tourism is the leading industry in Central Florida, employing nearly one-quarter of the workforce (5)
• An estimated 48.9 million people visited Central Florida in 2008 (5)
• The number of tourists is expected to grow by 77 percent by the year 2030, adding to the region's congested road network (5)
• SunRail will provide an alternative travel mode for tourists

Traffic congestion

• Orlando drivers lost $850 in time and gasoline while creeping along in rush hour traffic in 2007, up from $510 in 2003 (6)
• The $850 cost to each Orlando driver is expected to grow with traffic congestion and increased gasoline prices
• SunRail is expected to move as many people as one lane of Interstate 4 during peak travel times (about 2,000 cars per hour) at a cost less than building a single lane of I-4 (cost for 30 miles along I-4 is $2.3 billion vs. 61.5 miles of SunRail at $1.05 billion for right-of-way and construction)
• Rush hour delays have increased by 3.2 hours since 1982 (3)
• SunRail service will start by 2014, before major reconstruction of Interstate 4 begins
• Freight rail traffic in urban areas will be mitigated during peak travel times
• Operations of SunRail and regional bus systems will be coordinated to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of our mass transit system
• SunRail could be the start of rail connections throughout the region