How come there is no development at the DeBary SunRail station?

Until now, DeBary has been the most disappointing SunRail station.

Even though Monday to Friday DeBary station – the only SunRail station in Volusia County -- typically has more boardings than almost any other station in the SunRail system it’s mainly just a big parking lot. Mind you, SunRail began operations in DeBary 4 years ago.

What DeBary could look like

Other than a no-name convenience store, and a few auto repair shops there is nothing at the DeBary station even though it was envisioned as the poster-child for Transportation Oriented Development (TOD).

Click here to see this TOD animation of the DeBary station that was created for the Florida Department of Transportation.

But don’t blame FDOT for DeBary’s failure to flourish. The state gave the local governments the freedom to lead the TOD effort at the stations and many cities, such as Lake Mary, Longwood and others have done an outstanding job.

Heck, even Osceola County -- which won’t get SunRail service until the end of this month -- has done a magnificent job with housing and even a medical center built close to the Tupperware/Osceola Parkway station.

What DeBary looks like today

But there is some hope for DeBary. We reached out to DeBary City Hall to find out what’s taking so long.

Roger Van Auker, TOD Marketing Director and Economic Development Director for the City of DeBary responded with these written comments: "The City of DeBary has been careful with the development of our SunRail area, we have engaged professionals, studied the market and are now implementing a plan that we believe will be sustainable and will enhance the quality the lives of our citizens now and the next generations.

  

"DeBary has several developments about to break ground near and within  our Transit Oriented Development District,

"Integra 289 Exchange is about to break ground on 289 units luxury apartments all the permitting is complete and ready to go ( hope to schedule groundbreaking in the next 2 weeks), we have a 700-unit planned unit development processing which is within a half mile from the train station. This development will primarily consist of townhomes and detached single-family homes connected via trail system and roadway network to the train station and to the two regional trail networks that traverse our TOD district and Gemini Springs Park, this development should break ground in approximately 9 months.

"The City is working with another developer in the planning process for another 50 plus acres in the TOD area, this development will feature high-density single family homes, commercial out parcels, grocer locations, parks and open space along with entertainment every area connected via trails, paths, and walkways, this development will break ground in approximately 9-10 months.

"The City of DeBary has entitled approximately 2,000 home sites in and around the TOD area these will all have a significant impact on the SunRail ridership, national builders are already building on many of these sites.

"People are discovering DeBary and what we have to offer."

Good to know, DeBary. What took you guys so long?

In general, SunRail service in Volusia County has been disappointing.

It’s a shame that DeBary is the only SunRail station in Volusia, even though a second station was proposed for DeLand, the county seat.

Many in Volusia are rightfully upset that DeLand station has not become a reality because there is no money available from the feds to get the job done.

Hopefully, serious development in DeBary will help get DeLand back on track.

See you on The Rail.

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Sparks flew during the March SunRail meeting

It got real on Thursday at the SunRail Commission meeting with Volusia County Council Member Pat Patterson sticking it to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

For the past several meetings there have been testy exchanges between Dyer and Patterson over Patterson’s request to make changes to the funding agreement between the counties on how they’ll pay for SunRail in 2021 after the Florida Department of Transportation turns the rail system over to the local governments to pay for and operate.

Patterson bickers from the right as Dyer looks on from the far left

The original SunRail plans call for a second SunRail station to DeLand. Volusia County only station is in DeBary. For several reasons, money for the second station was not provided by the federal government and or other sources. Volusia residents feel shortchanged and they fear the original contract will have them paying for service they are not receiving.

Dyer has repeatedly assured Patterson that Volusia won’t pay for a station that was never built, but Patterson wants that understanding in writing. Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari, who had been chairing the rail commission until Thursday wants to wait until all the funding partners – including Volusia -- can submit their amendments at one time.

There have been several testy exchanges between Dyer and Patterson. On Thursday when the commissioners were voting on new officers, Dyer was nominated to serve as the vice chair.

Normally that’s a routine vote with all members supporting the nominee. On Thursday, however, Patterson voted “No” – a biting public rebuke of Dyer.

So just in case, you’re wondering Volusia residents – Pat Patterson is fighting for your best interests.

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FDOT suffers blowback on DeLand SunRail fail

The Florida Department of Transportation experienced some serious blowback on Thursday from its decision to withdraw an application for a federal grant to extend SunRail service to DeLand.

The incoming fire came from the SunRail Commission of local elected officials charged with overseeing Central Florida’s commuter train.

Relations between the SunRail Commission and FDOT are normally affable. Things took a turn when Volusia County Council Member Pat Patterson expressed frustration that the TIGER grant application was pulled at the last minute. Patterson said he didn’t clearly understand the reason the application was pulled. Neither do we.

Earlier this year FDOT officials spoke glowingly about the TIGER grant application that was being prepared. This was to be the second year an application was submitted and FDOT officials said they thought there was a great chance for it to be approved. At the last minute, though, it wasn’t submitted to the feds.

Many people in Volusia County are understandably upset there is no timetable for doing the work needed to extend SunRail service north from DeBary to DeLand.

Patterson was not alone in his unhappiness. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who chairs the SunRail Commission; Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari and Osceola County Commission Chairwoman Viviana Janer all said FDOT should have notified them there was a problem so they could work together to solve it.

This hot potato landed in the lap of SunRail new CEO Nicola Liquori who had not joined SunRail when FDOT promised to submit the application. Ms. Liquori has already pledged to find the federal dollars needed for the project.

We’ll see what happens.

Open letter to SunRail's new CEO

Dear Ms. Nicola Liquori,

Congratulations on your new role as SunRail CEO. We wish you every success!

Some riders were dismayed that you don’t have a passenger-rail background. We appreciate their concern, but we’re not overly worried because strong leadership can be as important as detailed technical knowledge and experience. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower led Allied forces to victory in World War II even though he never personally commanded soldiers on a battlefield.

The areas of focus that you detailed at the September Technical Advisory Committee meeting make sense. However, we were disappointed that customer satisfaction was not listed among your priorities.

SunRail ridership continues to sag because customer satisfaction is not -- and has not been -- a top priority.

Specifically, we call your attention to the train schedule. SunRail is almost completely useless unless you’re going to a traditional Monday through Friday 9 to 5 job.

What about the caregivers at Orlando Health (ORMC) and Florida Hospital? They don’t work a traditional schedule limited to weekdays.

How about the thousands of people who work at Orlando International Airport and in the hospitality and tourism industry? That’s a pool of thousands of prospective riders who want to use SunRail, but they can’t because of the train’s awful schedule.

We’ve been waiting two years for a real leader. We hope that’s you.

Please pay attention to what current riders -- and would-be riders -- are saying (especially the hospital caregivers). Don’t be misled by SunRail’s high-priced consultants. If they knew what they were talking about SunRail’s problems would have been solved long ago.

No service on weekends and holidays; no late-night service, 2 ½-hour service gaps during off-peak hours just don’t cut it. Those deficiencies are huge customer dis-satisfiers. You don’t need a Madison Avenue marketing guru to figure that out.

The schedule needs to be fixed now, not in five years. Waiting any longer will guarantee SunRail’s failure.

Fix SunRail’s schedule, extend service to DeLand, and your success will be guaranteed.

Sincerely

SunRail riders

SunRail screwed Volusia out of DeLand train station

SunRail is running off the tracks.

Volusia County Council (county commission) members are ready to pull the plug on SunRail unless the promised DeLand SunRail train station gets built.

Who can blame them?

Mythical DeLand SunRail station

Nine years ago Volusia signed on to SunRail because they were promised a train station in DeLand – Volusia’s county seat.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) currently operates SunRail. Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Osceola counties and the city of Orlando are supposed to take over the financial responsibility and operations of SunRail in 5 years when FDOT leaves the project.

Three new stations are currently being built in Osceola County – with the help of a special federal grant. A new spur is being planned to connect SunRail tracks to Orlando International Airport. But nothing is going on with the DeLand station.

Last year SunRail’s FDOT masters applied for a special federal grant to extend the SunRail tracks to DeLand. The grant was denied. This spring FDOT was preparing another application for the federal grant. In a surprise move, at the last moment, FDOT chose not submit the grant application to extend tracks to DeLand.

Volusia County deserves more than sweet words from FDOT. The county was promised a SunRail DeLand station. FDOT needs to deliver.

Currently SunRail tracks only go as far as the Volusia County city of DeBary – one of the busiest stations in SunRail.

We’re passionate supporters of SunRail. We’re also deeply disappointed in the defective SunRail product FDOT delivered. The train service is limited to weekdays. There are service gaps of up to 2 ½ hours. No late-night service. There’s no trains to DeLand, even though that service was promised.

No surprise SunRail is used by fewer than 2,000 daily because its schedule is so inconvenient. SunRail’s potential is tremendous. There are at least 10,000 people on the SunRail track corridor who could be use the train daily.

SunRail was pitched as a vital element in the I-4 transportation network. Unless our leaders wake up, SunRail will run off the tracks in 2021 when FDOT departs. We’re furious because FDOT’s poor leadership, poor planning, poor attitude and indifference to customer satisfaction are responsible for SunRail’s failures.

Please get this railroad back on the tracks.

Volusia officials seem to suffer from SunRail buyers' remorse

We can’t believe the Volusia County Council is whining about plans to extend SunRail service to DeLand.

This is not a new topic. This has been discussed and discussed. State engineers have done their work, now it’s time for Volusia to pony up.

In a way we’re not surprised about this recent outburst of buyers’ remorse. It would be unfair to call Volusia County Council Chair Jason Davis -- who serves on the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission -- a SunRail hater, but considering some private comments we’ve heard him make, he’s no friend.

While the Volusia County Council is whining about whether to pay their share for expanding service to DeLand, Volusia County residents have demonstrated they’re huge SunRail fans. Even though SunRail only has one station in Volusia County, that station is one of the busiest in the SunRail system. The parking lot at the DeBary SunRail station is running out of spaces.

Hopefully the SunRail commission won’t spend too much time dickering with Volusia. If they don’t want to extend the train service to DeLand; fine. Let’s not extend it. Five years from now Volusia officials will wish they grabbed the opportunity when they had it.

Regardless of what Volusia does, we’re eager to see SunRail service extended down to Osceola County. Unlike Volusia Commissioner Davis, Osceola’s representative on the commuter train commission is a strong proponent for mass transit.

Newly elected Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer, who has just joined the rail commission, grew up in New York City and she rode the bus and train to work and school. Many of her constituents rely on public transportation. She understands the importance of reliable, affordable mass transportation. We’re excited to have Ms. Janer join the rail commission.