FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  Contact:            Amy Davies, Lee County Department of Transportation
                          (941) 479-8589

UPDATE #4 (10:30 A.M.): SANIBEL CAUSEWAY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 9, 2003) – Due to the prohibition of 10-ton or more trucks on the Sanibel Causeway until emergency repairs are made to the center bridge, some more questions have arisen:

What is the policy for trucks pulling trailers that don’t have a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating?

Driver must produce the registration of the vehicle or truck, trailer, and load on the trailer.  If these added up are less than 10 tons, it may pass onto the island.

Garbage collection?

Residential pick-up already has been completed this week.  Horticulture and recycling pick-ups have been temporarily suspended.  For large generators (commercial businesses), smaller trucks will do the pick-up and transfer the load to the larger garbage trucks that will be allowed across the drawbridge onto the first causeway spoil island.

Ambulances?

Ambulances can cross.  EMS is working to use the smaller ambulances if possible and to readjust the protocol for the helicopter ambulance to be used if necessary.

The Transportation Department will issue another update this afternoon on the status of the situation and repairs.  The county continues to accelerate repairs to minimize disruption.