5.2 million. That’s how many people are projected to live in the 7 Central Florida counties by 2030, nearly 1 million more than in 2018. What changes will this influx of residents have on our transportation? According to SunRail, it could mean a new commuter system running through Polk County.

The Orlando-based commuter rail system may expand to  Polk County as part of its future railway system expansion, running through Davenport and Haines City and making it all the way to Swan City itself. 

Talks of the expansion started back in 2019, but most recently US Rep. Darren Soto proposed Polk as a contender for the commuter system’s newest tracks at the June 2 Orlando Economic Partnership event. 

The potential addition to Polk follows a previous project, which included a 170-mile expansion of rail from West Palm Beach to the Orlando International Airport. This expansion, which will transport passengers via the Brightline rail system to the SunRail station in Meadow Woods, is underway with over half of it already completed.

With a goal of increased connectivity and easier access to jobs similar to what larger metro areas offer, the intercity rail-system Brightline has potential to provide new modes of transportation to Polk County residents.

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