The 31-mile commuter rail system that cuts through Central Florida is about to add a few more stops and get a little bit longer.

A ceremonial signing for the SunRail expansion into Osceola County happens Monday. The second phase will include 17.2 additional miles of track and four more stops stretching south into Osceola County.

Currently, there are 12 stations, with Sand Lake Road in Orange County serving as the southernmost stop along the rail line.

The four new stations will be as follows:

  • Meadow Woods in Orange County
  • Osceola Parkway (Tupperware station)
  • Kissimmee Amtrak (downtown)
  • Poinciana

The expansion took many years of planning, as well as approval by Congress.

Last month, Congress received the full funding agreement from the Federal Transit Authority to review. There was a 30-day window to look over the funding and see if the next major leg of the regional commuter rail system would be approved.

Monday's ceremonial signing effectively marks the beginning of construction. The expansion is expected to be operational by 2017.

State leaders, however, said the second phase has great significance: They hope it will stimulate redevelopment around the expanded corridor, including into downtown Kissimmee. The expansion will also serve as a bridge between Central Florida counties.

Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan said the southern expansion is a "game-changer" for Osceola County.

"It will enhance and improve the opportunities for people to live in the downtown area and get out of their apartment, go downstairs, go over and get on SunRail, go to work in Orlando," Swan said. "Maybe someone in Winter Park wants to go and work in Kissimmee. And they can do that."

Swan said the rail line will also cut down on traffic jams between the stations for commuters.

"Peoples' habit — it's hard for them to change their habits," Swan said. "And if they've been fighting and driving and fussing and feuding, then they're going to continue to do that for a while until a neighbor that lives down the street says, 'Hey, let me show you an easier way.' And I look for that kind of thing to happen."

The FTA will provide $93 million for the southern portion of the Phase 2 expansion, but that's not all of the money required for the project.

The expansion is projected to cost more than $189 million. In the past, the difference in funding has been made up by funding partners, such as Orange County, and the state.