Let's face it, the present SunRail Station is in a crappy location. It is not in Sanford. It is in the middle of nowhere. It is only accessible from a high speed four lane highway The Florida Department of Transportation has realized its short comings, a main one is that it is really not accessible to the handicapped. The proof is the barriers that FDOT has installed on the overpass to keep cars from hitting whatever wheelchairs dare to cross to get to the station.
Sanford has had three rail stations, now it has none. The first was downtown west of the Pico Building. The second was west of French Avenue on Ninth Street where the Coastline Park now exists. The third was on the mainline south of Auto-Train. It, like the present SunRail, was not in Sanford. When the railroads got rid of passenger service, it fell into disrepair and was abandoned after a strong hurricane.
A relocation of Sunrail to the Ninth Street location would help the city enormously, especially Goldsboro. It would give us a regular train station again. If Palatka can get the train to stop there, why not Sanford? It would also help the potential of rail service to the Sanford Airport.
The right of way for this line is still mostly intact. What is needed is a concerted effort by the City and the Airport to make it happen. They should appoint a committee to look into it.
