A transportation planning group today made a decision that could affect the future of high speed rail in Polk County.
An 84-mile bullet train line is slated to run from Tampa to Orlando, with stops planned at Walt Disney World and in Lakeland, but where exactly the train station will be in Lakeland was up for debate.
Polk's Transportation Planning Organization today voted to recommend a site where the University of South Florida Polytechnic's new campus is slated to go up as the first choice for the stop. That proposed stop would be near I-4 on the easternmost end of the Polk Parkway.
Supporters of that location said it has green space available for growth and would cater to the large, growing population in eastern Polk, while still being easily accessible to other residents via I-4.
As part of the vote, the board also included a second choice: a site near the intersection of Kathleen Road and Interstate 4 in northwest Lakeland.
Supporters of that location said it's in a well-developed area close to downtown Lakeland and would be near potential riders who are necessary to support a high-speed stop.
There were a handful of possible options, but those two sites were considered the top candidates.
The recommendations will be forwarded to the State Department of Transportation for final consideration.
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