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CSX Deal Requires Freight Study

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By LINDSAY PETERSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

Updated: 02/15/2008 01:11 am

A federal requirement for a new study of the effect of running more freight trains through Polk County could delay a commuter rail project at the center of the state's multimillion deal with CSX Transportation.

The state has agreed to pay $491 million to buy CSX tracks in the Orlando area for commuter rail and help the company expand its freight operations on a parallel line that runs into Polk County.

The federal government and cities and counties in the Orlando area are expected to pay an additional $600 million to develop the commuter line. But as a condition, the Federal Transit Administration decided this week, it wants the state to assess the environmental impact of CSX's plans to increase freight traffic into Polk County, where the company plans to build a major hub.

The state Department of Transportation has been talking back and forth with the Federal Transit Administration for several weeks, arguing that the Orlando-area commuter line and the freight rail increases into Polk are two separate projects.

In a letter the FTA sent to the state DOT this week, the FTA said it agreed but still wants the study.
State DOT spokesman Dick Kane said state officials didn't think the study was necessary but would work with the FTA to get it done.

Several state lawmakers have raised questions about why the state is proposing to pay hundreds of millions to a private company and say they plan to bring it up in the legislative session that starts next month. Polk-area lawmakers have complained that the project benefits the Orlando area at Polk County's expense.

Reporter Lindsay Peterson can be reached at (813) 259-7834 or lpeterson@tampatrib.com.

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