FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

COUNTY IMPLEMENTING NEW PERMITTING/
ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES FOR CAUSEWAY TRUCKS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 13, 2003) - Because of suspected violations of the Sanibel Causeway weight restrictions - particularly by trucks leaving the island with full loads - the county is requiring all trucks weighing three tons or more (empty) or having three or more axles to obtain six-month renewable "Restricted Load" permits.

This does not apply to essential service and overweight trucks that currently are operating during the restricted hours of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

In addition, all trucks leaving the island with loads now will have to stop to be weighed at the middle-island weigh station.

Lee County's Department of Transportation will begin issuing the permits Monday (Mar. 17). Either come to the third floor of the county's Community Development/Public Works Building, 1500 Monroe Street in downtown Fort Myers, where Lee DOT is located or call Betsy Rowan at 479-8511.

The permit requires truckers to attest to their empty and loaded weights and allows Lee DOT greater enforcement abilities if the trucker violates the restrictions. If a trucker violates the restrictions, that truck's permit will be revoked and it no longer will be allowed to cross the Causeway. The current weight restrictions are 17 tons for single unit trucks and 24 tons for combination unit vehicles. Between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. nightly, those restrictions are eased for trucks with valid overweight permits.

Lee DOT has noticed a trend where many trucks make weight when crossing over to Sanibel Island, where they are weighed along the way, but return back to the mainland fully loaded and overweight. Before now, they weren't required to get weighed on the return trip.

The only exceptions to the permit will be trucks that can produce a current official loaded weight ticket to the toll attendant at the Sanibel Toll Plaza; this will allow for out-of-area truckers who do not have a Lee DOT issued permit.

TRUCKS WITHOUT A VALID PERMIT OR WEIGHT TICKET WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE CAUSEWAY STARTING MAR. 24.

The three-ton limit was chosen because trucks of that size with loads can exceed a 17-ton limit.

The county is encouraging those with questions about the speed and weight restrictions on the Sanibel Causeway to call a hotline it has set-up - 335-2852.

The Causeway has been under weight restrictions since January, when cracks were found in the middle bridge - a portion of which was replaced. Subsequently, cracks less severe have been discovered in the Causeway's other two bridges. The county is monitoring the bridges with sophisticated weight and stress-sensing equipment, is increasing inspections, and is expediting construction of new bridges.