Year in review: Orlando's top transportation stories in 2018
"When it came to transportation projects in Orlando in the past year, area residents had plenty to look out for.
Central Florida roadways are undergoing more than a billion dollars in infrastructure work, ranging from those overseen by the Central Florida Expressway Authority to the ongoing work on the $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate project. But the No. 1 topic on Orlando Business Journal readers’ minds: rail development.
Four of the top five stories for transportation this year were ones connected to proposed or ongoing rail projects, from the 251-mile Hyperloop One that could connect the Port of Miami to Orlando International Airport, to the $1.3 billion SunRail train and its $186.9 million, 17.2-mile southern expansion into Osceola County that opened in late July.
The area also has the $5 billion Brightline train, which will be known as Virgin Trains USA after partnering with Sir Richard Branson’s hospitality brand Virgin Group. The train line is currently negotiating with the Florida Department of Transportation and CFX on the right of way between Tampa and Orlando, while also preparing for its Orlando-to-West Palm Beach route expected to completed by late 2020 or early 2021."
By Ryan Lynch – Staff Writer, Orlando Business Journal
