State taking bids to link rail to Tampa

Gov. Rick Scott appears to be on board with the idea of high-speed rail service across the state.

He announced Friday the Florida Department of Transportation has begun the process of taking bids for private investment in express passenger service between Orlando and Tampa on the condition it costs Florida taxpayers nothing.

Scott rejected $2.4 billion in federal funds in 2011 for a similar project, saying it would have cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars.

“Instead of placing taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars, our goal is for the private sector to invest in this project,” Scott said in a statement. “Through private investment, we ensure that this major project has zero financial risk to Florida taxpayers.”

Brightline officials had already submitted an unsolicited bid to lease property owned by the state and the Central Florida Expressway Authority to build a higher-speed train line along Interstate 4.

“Tampa Bay is a natural extension for Brightline,” said Patrick Goddard, Brightline president and COO. “Our state’s residents, visitors and economy will benefit tremendously from a fully connected passenger rail system that includes our current operations in South Florida and our future line to Orlando.”

Brightline’s bid prompted the state to invite other private companies to bid on the project.

Officials have estimated it would take up to three years to extend Brightline service from West Palm Beach to Orlando. Long range plans included links to Tampa and Jacksonville.

Brightline has been running express passenger trains between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach since January and extended service into Miami in May.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.