FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Amy Davies, Lee County Department of Transportation
              (239) 479-8589

CAUSEWAY: RELIEF COMING TO
OVERWEIGHT COMMERCIAL TRUCKS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 17, 2003) - Lee County's Department of Transportation will begin issuing up to 30 overweight permits an evening for commercial trucks needing to cross the Sanibel Causeway.

The trucks will be able to cross the causeway starting WEDNESDAY A.M. from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., continuing nightly for an indefinite period. This should bring some relief to particularly the construction industry, which was hit hardest by the recent lowering of weight restrictions on the causeway bridges.

Overweight permitted trucks carrying essential cargo - garbage, gas, utilities chemicals, groceries and medicine - have been allowed over the bridges from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. since Feb. 12. For the other commercial trucks, up to 30, one-time permits will be issued daily for the following morning. That means truckers will have to reapply for each load. The reason for this is so Lee DOT can appropriately space the loads crossing the bridges and ensure safe weights and stresses.

ALL TRAFFIC DURING THESE TIMES IS RESTRICTED TO NO MORE THAN 10 MPH.

During hours other than 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., the causeway's weight restriction is between 17 and 24 tons depending on the number of axles and weight distribution of a truck. From 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. the weight restriction is as follows (the vehicles must receive an overweight permit from Lee DOT, Betsy Rowan at 479-8511):

• SU2 17 tons
• SU3 28 tons
• SU4 28 tons
• C3 28 tons
• C4 36 tons
• C5 40 tons

All trucks crossing still are required to get weighed at the weigh station on the middle causeway island.

THE COUNTY HAS SET UP A HOTLINE FOR GETTING GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN AND LODGING COMPLAINTS OR SUGGESTIONS. IT IS 335-2852.

Vehicular traffic is allowed from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., however it must wait for gaps in the queue of trucks. Lee DOT is trying to keep those waits to no longer than an hour, but depending on the number of essential and commercial trucks waiting to cross, it could be longer. The county is recommending that, if at all possible, residents and visitors do not make plans to cross during these hours. Medical emergencies, or course, will have priority.

There is garbage collection on Sanibel. Lee DOT is requesting that residents DO NOT dump their trash in the Sanibel Causeway Toll Facility dumpsters.