Lot surveillance for $1.2B Sunrail falls to state

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Eyewitness News found out the state isn't paying for surveillance cameras at Sunrail parking lots.

The first leg of Sunrail will run from DeLand to downtown Orlando.

Channel 9's Karla Ray discovered only one parking lot along the way will have a security system in place.

Altamonte Springs is paying to have the Florida Department of Transportation add cameras to that lot.

They're sharing the costs with a federal grant. Eyewitness News asked the state why such an expensive project costing taxpayers more than a $1 billion doesn't have more security built in.

Even shopping centers have security cameras in place where people park but of the $1.2 billion being spent on Sunrail, no state money is being spent to monitor parking lots for crime.

"Shouldn't this be FDOT taking care of this?" Ray asked.

"Ideally yes, but in the big picture we just care that it gets done right," Frank Martz, Altamonte Springs city manager, said.

Eyewitness News checked the entire Sunrail line and found out only Altamonte Springs is paying to wire its parking lot with cameras, part of $64,000 in upgrades the city is funding.

FDOT will have its own cameras where passengers load the trains.

Anyone who steps off the platform will be out of frame and out of the scope of state security.

"Why is that the city's responsibility to help monitor a state project?" Ray asked FDOT spokesperson Steve Olson.

"We're providing the infrastructure for the passengers on the platforms and on the trains," Olson said.

The system is expected to transport around 4,500 people every day, increasing chances for crimes to occur in cities along the way.

"Is it frustrating that the city has to take this responsibility on?" Ray asked.

"We're just looking forward. Sunrail is coming. It's going to be an important part of the community for decades to come," Martz said.

WFTV