SunRail Jobs

SunRail is expected to bring 8-thousand construction and maintenance jobs to Florida by 2011. Workers will be needed to build the 61 mile commuter rail track and train depots. While these job opportunities could help put the state’s starving workforce on the right track, House Democrats worry the jobs may not go to Floridians.

For the state’s 700 million dollar investment, along with matching contributions from the federal and local governments, 8-thousand jobs will be created laying track and building train depots.

House Democrats like Franklin Sands wanted a guarantee those high paying jobs would go to Floridians; they didn’t get it. “The devil is in the details as they say. I would feel much more comfortable if we could assure Floridians that they could be getting those jobs” said Sands.

Because some of the money will be coming through a federal grant, the construction projects will be open to bids from all comers. Nonetheless, the Department of Transportation is confident Floridians will still receive the bulk of the benefits.

But the economic development won’t stop with construction and maintenance jobs. Once the train starts rolling shops and restaurants are expected to pop up along the track. This expected to place Florida investors and business owners in prime position to reap the benefits.

If Florida is awarded the 2.6 billion dollars for the bullet train, another 5-thousand construction jobs would be created. Economists say bullet train and SunRail combined could create as many as 100-thousand direct and indirect jobs over a 30 year period.