HAINES CITY, Fla. — Data shows that a push to bring SunRail to Polk County is gaining steam — a recent survey of Polk County residents had 4,800 responses, which officials say is one of the highest ever for Florida Department of Transportation's District 1.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation say they are studying a possible SunRail expansion from Poinciana into Polk County

  • Experts say the recent increase in Polk County's population is enough to support a commuter rail system

  • The county's Transportation Planning Organization is expected to make a decision on the plan in August

Longtime Haines City Commissioner Roy Tyler says he has pushed for years to extend SunRail from Poinciana in Osceola County into Polk County.

FDOT studied expanding SunRail to Polk County in 2015, but experts concluded that the population couldn't support the ridership needed to make the extension feasible.

Eight years later, and with new census data, FDOT officials say they believe the county has the numbers to bring SunRail to places like Haines City, Lake Alfred, Auburndale and Lakeland.

Tyler said congestion has become a big problem in Polk County, especially on I-4 and U.S. 27, but he doesn't believe expanding the highway is the answer.

“They don’t fix anything," he said of adding lanes to congested roadways. "They are a Band-Aid on a cancer, is something my grandfather would have said."

Tyler is hopeful FDOT will move forward with the plan, and that officials will once again use the old train station next to city hall for one of the stops.

“I’m hoping it’s not outside the realm to reach back and touch a piece of history,” he said.

FDOT officials say they are still looking at how much it would cost to extend SunRail, which currently runs from Poinciana to DeBary in Volusia County.

Work is starting right now to extend the commuter rail service north to DeLand.

An FDOT spokesperson told Spectrum News that federal grant money will have to be a part of the funding to make an extension into Polk County possible.

Members of the Polk Transportation Planning Organization are expected to decide in August if they want to proceed with the plan.