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Rail Hub Plans Require Review, Official Says

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By BILLY TOWNSEND, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 27, 2007

LAKELAND - A standing-room-only crowd on Wednesday used a visit from the state's top growth management official to express concerns about Florida's $491 million CSX rail realignment plan and what it might do to neighborhoods, cities and counties.

Lakeland officials, who hosted the meeting, said the city has worked for years to grow smartly, with an eye toward creating an elegant urban core that the CSX tracks bisect.

'To ignore that in the favor of gain for CSX would be shameful,' said Jim Studiale, Lakeland's director of community development.

The city is calling for a pause in negotiation of the state's deal, which has not been finalized. That would allow the state to come up with a future rail plan based on 'what's best for Florida, as opposed to what's best for CSX,' Studiale said.

Tom Pelham, secretary of Florida's Department of Community Affairs, didn't say much during the presentations from Studiale and officials from other affected government entities.

What he did say made news.

Pelham announced there will be no agreement between the state and CSX to allow work on a massive rail hub proposed for Winter Haven before a full regional review is complete. That hub makes the wider realignment deal possible.

It was not immediately clear what that will mean for the timing of the hub's construction, but the first formal meeting in the regional review process has been set for Oct. 15 in Winter Haven, said Pat Steed, director of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

Such regional reviews typically take two years or more to complete. CSX has said it would pursue an agreement with the state to allow it to work on the hub site as the review unfolded. CSX decided Friday, however, not to pursue that.

Plan Could Affect Bay Area

It's the latest twist in the complex rail realignment plan, a top priority of former Gov. Jeb Bush. It would pay CSX $491 million in state money to clear the way for commuter rail in Orlando while allowing an unlimited ramp-up of freight traffic on the CSX line that runs through Ocala, Dade City, Plant City and Lakeland.

The linchpin of that plan is the new hub in Winter Haven, which would make it possible for CSX to relocate an Orlando-area hub that handles automobile shipping.

The Winter Haven hub also would focus on the shipping container transfer business, which rail companies see as vital to their growth.

Previous reporting by the Tribune has indicated the realignment plan could hamper plans for a Tampa Bay area rail commuter system.

On Wednesday, officials and residents from a number of cities and groups potentially affected by the deal packed Lakeland city commission chambers to bend Pelham's ear. They talked about the effect of the increased rail traffic from reorganization and the increased vehicle traffic from the hub, which will send hundreds of container trucks per day onto State Road 60.

An even larger distribution center, tentatively planned to surround the 320-acre hub, would increase traffic further if it is ever built. For now, though, that second portion is on hold. It will not be part of the regional review process.

Crist Hasn't Taken Sides

Pelham was invited to Lakeland by state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland. Dockery criticized the secrecy with which the realignment plan was put together by the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX, with Bush's backing. The plan has never been brought before a legislative committee for discussion, Dockery said.

Gov. Charlie Crist has been silent on the merits of the deal. After Wednesday's meeting, Pelham said Crist is aware of the plan and the concerns of critics.

Crist has met at least three times in public or private with CSX officials since becoming governor.

Pelham said he didn't know whether Crist will talk to the deal's critics.

DOT officials are set to address the rail realignment deal at Polk County's Transportation Planning Organization on Oct. 11 in Bartow.

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409 or btownsend@tampatrib.com.

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