Polk County is mapping out where high-speed trains might stop before anyone can say what the stations will cost or who will run the service.

The Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) recently approved a $500,000 contract with HDR Engineering Inc. to conduct the I-4 Passenger Rail Study. This 18-month feasibility study aims to evaluate potential station locations along the Interstate 4 corridor. Planners are assessing each site’s impacts, opportunities, and construction costs to select three to five candidate station locations that will safely connect Polk County residents to regional networks like Brightline and SunRail. The study is scheduled to wrap up late next year, providing county officials with concrete options to present to future rail providers.

The effort follows the arrival of private passenger rail in the region. Brightline already links Orlando and Miami, and talk of extending service west to Tampa has picked up. Local leaders want Polk County positioned for more visitors and travel.

Ryan Kordek, the planning organization’s executive director, said population growth and traffic congestion make high-speed rail an appealing, dependable public option for residents. He said a Polk station could connect riders to Tampa, Orlando, or SunRail, the Orlando-area commuter line, and could reach as far as Miami or West Palm Beach.

Much remains unsettled. Officials have not chosen specific station locations or determined what building station infrastructure in Polk County would cost. It is also unknown which private or public rail companies would build or operate the service along the I-4 corridor.

As the study moves forward, planners are asking residents to complete a brief online survey about their travel needs and station priorities.

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