FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: John Davis, Lee County Department of Transportation
                                (239) 694-7600

TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING PROJECT HELPS REDUCE TRAVEL TIME WITH NEW STRATEGY FOR LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 23, 2003) - A traffic signal retiming project intended to reduce waits at lights is producing shorter waits by changing the way the left turn signal light timing works at several busy intersections throughout the county.

The change: the left turn arrow will appear during or near the end of the thru traffic green light phase instead of the beginning.

This new timing strategy is now in place at the following intersections: Second and Monroe streets; Colonial Boulevard and Metro Parkway; Colonial Boulevard and Fowler Street; Colonial and Summerlin boulevards; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Fowler Street; U.S. 41 and College Parkway; U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway; McGregor Boulevard and Cypress Lake Drive; and McGregor Boulevard and College Parkway.

Here's How It Works

At most intersections with left turn arrows, the left turn arrow first appears and is then followed by the solid green ball for thru traffic in the same direction. This style of timing is known as the leading arrow. The left turn signal leads the green ball for thru traffic.

Under the retiming project, the green left arrow will now follow the green ball for thru traffic. This style of timing is known as a lagging arrow. This lagging arrow timing strategy helps reduce travel times.

This strategy is being implemented in an attempt to maximize the number of vehicles that can travel along a road through adjacent signalized intersections without stopping by increasing the total amount of "green" time.

This timing will be used at the intersections during peak hours of the morning, midday and afternoon, with the exception of the Second and Monroe intersection, where it will be utilized all day long.

The County undertook a $420,000 retiming study, funded by the Florida DOT, of more than 100 intersections last year. This is just one result of that study. For more information about the retiming project, contact John Davis or Earl Salley at (239) 694-7600.

Lee County's Transportation Department plans, builds, expands and maintains county roads, bridges, ditches and landscaping in the unincorporated areas of Lee County. It also maintains the county-wide traffic signal system and operates the toll facilities on the Midpoint Memorial, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway bridges. It employs 383 and has an annual operating budget of $37.2 million.