FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Scott Gilbertson, Lee County Department of Transportation
              (239) 479-8580

ALICO ROAD WORK GROUNDBREAKING SET FOR MONDAY (MAY 12)

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 9, 2003) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners will hold a groundbreaking Monday (May 12) for the construction project that will widen Alico Road in south Lee County from two lanes to six lanes from U.S. 41 to I-75.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Alico and Lee roads in the San Carlos Park Community.

Commissioner John Albion will serve as master of ceremonies and will be joined by other county commissioners, representatives of the Florida Department of Transportation and interested citizens.

The ceremony is open to the public and area citizens are encouraged to attend.

This is a long-awaited project. The county spent three years trying to get federal permits for the road widening, which were finally awarded in August 2002.

Below is a description of the project.

Alico Road Widening
This project will widen Alico Road from two to six lanes between U.S. 41 to Interstate 75 (2.85 miles).
Location: San Carlos Park/Three Oaks area
Cost: $12.6 million
Contractor: Phoenix Construction Services Inc.
Expected Project Duration: 22 months
Other Information: Also, improve 1.24 miles of conveyance ditch along the north side of Alico Road, construct 0.70 miles of connector ditch between Alico Road and Briarcliff/Fiddlesticks Ditch, improvements to roadside ditch along Old U.S. 41 for approximately 2,700 feet, improvements to Briarcliff/Fiddlesticks Ditch including additional culverts and a water control structure, installation of 15,800 linear feet of 36" water main, installation of 3,100 linear feet of 12" to 24" water main and new forcemain and/or watermain crossings at Phlox Drive, Capri Drive, Lee Road, Oriole Road and Three Oaks Parkway.