Scott leading from caboose

Editorial

Gov. Rick Scott, who single-handedly stopped Florida's federally financed high-speed rail, has agreed to take the brakes off the Orlando area's SunRail project, which will cost the state close to $600 million.

Despite the project's major flaws, Scott was right to let it roll ahead. It was negotiated under the Jeb Bush administration, advocated by local officials, improved and finally approved by the state Legislature, backed by business leaders, endorsed by federal transportation officials and championed by the area's U.S. representative, John Mica.

Clearly Scott is being pulled along by politics and lobbyists, but at least his OK of SunRail shows a willingness to respect opinions that differ from his own political instincts.

The state will buy 61 miles of CSX tracks on which public passenger trains will run during the day and private freight trains at night. Many rail advocates believe that unless new passenger trains can make similar use of existing rights of way, the projects will be unaffordable.

Unfortunately, the price of the Orlando project seems too high to be a prototype for other cities. SunRail is not billed as the first leg of a statewide rail network, nor is it seen as the first leg of a line that could one day connect to Tampa or even Lakeland.

The first phase will connect Orlando to the small residential community of DeBary. The second phase will take it north to DeLand and southwest to Poinciana. It does not drop riders at the airport, the major theme parks or the University of Central Florida.

It will appeal to commuters avoiding I-4 traffic, not so much to visitors, students or tourists.

State Sen. Paula Dockery of Lakeland has long been an opponent of this project and is correct that the SunRail deal shifts liability from a for-profit company to Florida taxpayers. She is also rightly concerned about low ridership estimates, uncertain cost overruns and the increase in freight traffic that will inconvenience her constituency.

But some concessions to CSX were necessary to convince the railroad to sell. And freight must be moved.

The animosity began when the deal was negotiated in near secrecy. It was only later discovered that the plan would shift so much freight-train traffic to Polk County.

Whatever its drawbacks, the approval of SunRail is an acknowledgement that widening highways in urban areas can be much more expensive than adding a rail line.

Until now, Scott has expressed little concern about the traffic problems of the state's cities, and he has offered no creative solutions.

His rejection of the Tampa-to-Orlando high-speed rail was based on an assumption that state taxpayers might have to bail it out if too few travelers bought tickets. He discounted ridership studies and ignored pledges from local and federal officials that state taxpayers would be protected.

Scott is short-sighted to think that any worthy transit project should pay for itself in direct revenue.

He has expressed similar doubts about SunRail but appears reassured that the state is only required to operate the Orlando train for seven years. Then the costs are supposed to become an entirely local responsibility.

The message to other cities is: Don't wait for the state to help with your transit challenges; do it yourself.

Riding in the caboose cannot be called leadership, but it is encouraging that Scott is allowing some transit movement and did not play brakeman again.