Sunrail ridership down, Looks like an Epic Fail

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

Read through SunRail's own DOT Public Development records.
Transit Oriented Development Sketchbook - SunRail Corporate

Ontop of that, it's clear from the state and the transit system itself that the new track to BE built for Phase 2 in no-mans-land is stopped up on funding. The Airport Spoke which is merely 5 miles will cost as much as the CSX line acquisition.


I'm not a transit expert- and I don't need to be. I'm not playing armchair quarterbacking either.
This has, from day one, been evidently an idea that benefited a small group of people at the cost of public taxpayers of whom which the state and agencies are accountable to.

Fools on here claim SunRail will pick up if we expand it to nights, and weekends, and holidays, and better scheduling, etc, etc, etc. The #8 Lynx Bus more than doubles SunRails daily ridership... because it RUNS places people actually need transit to get to. That's what will 'fix' SunRail, but that's something that could have been in place from day 1.

As an outsider looking in can I ask is there much development going on near any of the stations right now?? When the monorail system connects MCO to Sunrail, will Sunrail still need to go to the airport? Why not just transfer at the two crossings of the monorail and sunrail?

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by BlackPeach2

As an outsider looking in can I ask is there much development going on near any of the stations right now?? When the monorail system connects MCO to Sunrail, will Sunrail still need to go to the airport? Why not just transfer at the two crossings of the monorail and sunrail?

An actual airport plan has not been set in stone, so it's impossible to totally answer that question.

The suburban station areas have minimal development. Remember though SunRail is a commuter rail, it is not intended to take people from the CBD to the lesser developed areas, only the opposite.
The schedule for commuter rail will always base itself on feeding the CBD for 'rush hour'.

That leaves the airport connection as a curious one. I think it would be quite great to do, but realistically it serves only those going from Winter Park or Downtown to the airport within walking distance. This is a pretty healthy number, it may also attract tourists and FA's to travel to Orlando City increasing hotel stays.

While long term parking at Sunrail is actually permitted, I'm not sure how feasible that may be at the Orange/Sand Lake station if such a second spur to the airport actually opens.

There's many questions- but any connections from Sunrail to another train is likely to remain unused as is typical of metros with connections to the airport- especially if that other train / tram / bus includes a fee.