DELAND, Fla. — The new year means a new SunRail station is one step closer to opening, as work continues to connect the commuter rail line to DeLand.

What You Need To Know

  • A new SunRail station in DeLand is expected to open this summer

  • Passengers will be able to take SunRail from Poinciana to DeLand

  • Volusia County is working to connect Downtown DeLand to the SunRail station

  • When the new station opens, cyclists will have to use State Road 44 to get to new station

But some worry that getting to the new station from downtown DeLand won’t be easy for many, especially for cyclists.

“It’s definitely not a very safe route to get out to the train station currently," said Ryan Gaylord, who owns an electric bike store and repair shop in downtown DeLand. "There’s no shoulder on the side of the road, no sidewalk and it is 40 mile per hour speed limit, pretty curvy road, also.” 

When the new station opens this summer, passengers will be able to travel by train from Poinciana all the way up to DeLand.

Volusia County is teaming up with the Florida Department of Transportation and the city of DeLand to figure out how to get to the station, which is west of downtown, off Old New York Avenue.

They’ve got a plan in place to connect the station to the local springs, but as far as the 3.5 mile distance between the station and downtown, a Volusia County spokesperson said the hope is that State Road 44 would be the primary path.

“The county has had very preliminary discussions with the city of DeLand and FDOT about looking at different options for that future connection, with the hope that State Road 44 would be the primary path and serve as the gateway into DeLand,” said Volusia County spokesperson Heather Belden. “Until that is in place, trail users would use one of the many local roads or State Road 44 to get from downtown DeLand to the DeLand SunRail station.”

However, Gaylord said that some spots on State Road 44 have narrow shoulders and no sidewalk at all.

“I travel to Altamonte once or twice a week, so if I had an option to not drive and I could hop on the train, I would absolutely be interested in that,” he said.

The city of DeLand is also testing a trolley system that would take people from the SunRail station to downtown.

City officials say they are working with the same company that provides rides from Sanford’s SunRail station to its downtown.