FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Carol Goldwasser, Lee County Toll Operations
                (941) 489-1825

FORT MYERS, Fla. (October 5, 2001) – Lee County is hosting the Oct. 10 quarterly meeting of the umbrella organization for transportation agencies – including expressway and bridge authorities – in the State of Florida.

Known as TEAMFL (the Transportation & Expressway Authority Membership of Florida), the organization meets once a quarter to exchange information about roadway operations and toll collection. Members include the Tampa-Hillsborough, Orlando-Orange and Miami-Dade expressway authorities, and the Florida Department of Transportation – Toll Operations and Turnpike District – and Florida Transportation Commission.

Lee County’s Department of Transportation also is a member and Carol Goldwasser, Director of Lee County Toll Operations, is a board member.

More than 160 transportation officials from around Florida are expected to attend the event, which is being held at the Diamondhead All Suite Beach Resort, 2000 Estero Boulevard, on Fort Myers Beach.

Lee County Commissioner John Albion will give the opening remarks for the conference at about 10:15 a.m.

TEAMFL is a collaborative effort between the State of Florida’s Expressway Authorities Systems and the Florida Turnpike District, sharing innovative ideas for toll road operations – including roadway and toll booth design, financing options, marketing and coast-to-coast operation.

One of those innovative ideas has been Lee County’s state-of-the-art electronic toll collection and variable pricing system (LeeWay), which is a model for the nation and world – even being featured last year in Madrid, Spain at a conference of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association. The system initially was funded through a $20-million federal grant.

Lee County’s variable pricing program is the only one operational by a local government and it is unique because it offers "off peak" reductions to encourage motorists to voluntarily change their driving habits, instead of "peak" hour increases, or penalties. In August 2000, "express" toll lanes were added on the Midpoint Memorial Bridge. And in February 2001, LeeWay celebrated $1 million in tolls saved by motorists since the program began in August 1998.