FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amy Davies, Lee County Department of
Transportation
(239) 479-8589
PUBLIC WORKSHOPS SET FOR PROPOSED
TOLL REVISIONS/FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED
FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 15, 2003) - Two public
workshops - in Cape Coral and Sanibel - have been scheduled to answer residents'
questions about proposed toll revisions on the Cape Coral and Midpoint Memorial
bridges and Sanibel Causeway.
Lee DOT representatives will be at the meetings
to answer questions. The public may attend the "open house" format meetings
anytime from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates:
- July 30 (Wed.) in Cape Coral at
Vineyard Community Church, 923 SE 47th Terrace.
- July 31 (Thur.) in Sanibel at the
Sanibel Community Center, 2173 Periwinkle Way.
A public hearing before the Board of Lee County
Commissioners will be held Aug. 12 (Tue.) at 5 p.m. in the Commission Chamber of
the Old County Courthouse, 2120 Main Street in downtown Fort Myers.
In addition, the county is mailing 59,000
informational brochures to transponder account holders detailing the proposed
changes.
The changes are being proposed for two major
reasons:
- To simplify a complex and inefficient
discount toll structure that has 18 different programs.
- The simplification will allow LeeWay
transponder users to also use the Florida SunPass System and other toll authorities in the state.
Below is some background and frequently asked
questions (FAQs).
BACKGROUND
Lee County is considering revising the toll
structure on its three bridges. Lee County currently has a very complex toll
discount program that has evolved into one of the most complicated toll programs
of any major toll facility in the United States. The toll programs have evolved
over time for a variety of reasons, which taken individually, are positive.
However, when the program is evaluated in its entirety, the necessity of such a
complex program, as well as its benefits to the County's citizens, is
questionable. Because of the large number of discount programs, it is difficult
for customers to choose the best program for their travel habits. In fact,
research conducted into the County's toll program indicates that more than half
of the drivers with an unlimited account would save money by switching to
another program.
Simplifying the toll structure would provide
many benefits to Lee County citizens:
- Would facilitate the process to allow LeeWay
customers with prepaid accounts to become compatible and interactive with the
Florida SunPass System and the other toll authorities in the state.
- Eliminate the inconvenience of dealing with
discount program ($330, $40, $150, $25) renewals every year for purchasers.
- Eliminate the confusion over the discount
programs ($330, $40, $150, $25) and the resulting overpayment for discount
programs by many customers.
- Increase the efficiency of and reduces the
administrative costs associated with LeeWay.
- Maintain the toll revenue stream at current
levels so that the County can meet its required toll debt obligations and
maintain its bond (loan) contracts. Much like a mortgage, Lee County must
repay the bond holders the funds borrowed to build the Midpoint Bridge, the
newer east-bound span of the Cape Coral Bridge and the upcoming construction
of the Sanibel Bridge.
- Maintain at current levels the total amount
of tolls paid on an annual basis by LeeWay customers.
Several simplified toll structures have been
considered, however, replacing the current structure with a toll that is the
same for all LeeWay customers produces the least complicated system. The County
proposes setting toll rates that are based on the current average toll paid by
all Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) customers at each facility. The amount
customers pay by ETC would then be fair and equal. Depending on each person's
actual use, some people will pay less under this scenario; some people will pay
more. This simplified structure has a discount built into it and will eliminate
the concerns with the current structure which has allowed the frequent users to
be subsidized by the infrequent users. The fact is, every trip produces the same
wear and tear on the facility and the impact on traffic congestion is the same,
whether the trip is a customer's 1st or 501st trip. The simplified toll
structure was calculated and verified by two independent transportation
engineering firms to ensure that the toll rate calculations are accurate and the
total annual revenue generated under the simplified tolls structure remains
equal to the revenue currently collected.
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Simplifying the toll structure provides many benefits:
-
- * Eliminates the inconvenience of
dealing with discount
- program ($330, $40, $150, $25)
renewals every year for
- purchasers.
- * Eliminates the confusion over the
discount programs
- ($330, $40, $150, $25) and the
resulting overpayment for
- discount programs by many
customers.
- * Increases the efficiency of and
reduces the administrative
- costs associated with LeeWay.
- * Maintains the toll revenue stream at
current levels so
- that the County can meet its
required toll debt obligations
- and maintain its bond (loan)
contracts. (Much like a mortgage,
- Lee County must repay the bond
holders the funds
- borrowed to build the Midpoint
Bridge, the newer east
- bound span of the Cape Coral
Bridge and the up coming
- construction of the Sanibel
Bridge.)
- * Maintains at current levels the
total amount of tolls paid
- on an annual basis by LeeWay
customers.
- * Will facilitate the process to allow
LeeWay customers
- with prepaid accounts to become
compatible and interactive
- with the Florida SunPass System
and the other toll
- authorities in the state.
Why is the cash toll different from the electronic toll?
- The cash toll is different from the ETC toll
for several
- reasons. The cost to collect tolls
electronically is lower
- than the cost to collect cash and coins.
Additionally, the
- ETC lanes process three times more cars in
the same
- amount of time as the attended lanes. Use of
ETC saves
- the County money, therefore, the Board of
County
- Commissioners wanted to maintain a discounted
toll rate
- for electronic toll users.
Isn't this a toll increase?
- No, the current toll program requires an
upfront payment
- to participate in the discount program. If a
customer has a
- program that allows travel over the Midpoint
and Cape Coral
- Bridges for $0.50 instead of $1, they paid a
$40 annual fee
- for that program. If the customer makes 100
trips that
- year (and no trips were during variable
pricing times) they
- have paid $50 in tolls (100 X $0.50) plus the
$40 annual fee
- for a total of $90. Their average toll is
$0.90 per trip. Under
- the proposed system, this customer would pay
$70 in tolls
- annually (100 X $0.70). They would save $20
each year.
- Using the same math, if a customer with the
same program
- made 300 trips per year, their annual tolls
would be $190
- for an average of $0.63 per trip.Under the
proposed system
- this customer would pay $210 per year, or $20
more each
- year than they currently pay.
How does this compare to what I pay now?
- See the following Comparison Charts which
compare
- examples of five and two round trips per week
with the
- current and proposed structures.
Why is the Sanibel cash toll increasing during the winter
- season?
- Sanibel Island experiences much greater
traffic during the
- peak tourist winter season, so Lee County is
considering
- implementing a Seasonal Value Priced toll.
This is similar
- to the Value Priced toll on the Midpoint &
Cape Coral Bridges
- which is lower just before and just following
the rush hours.
- The Sanibel tolls would be lower during the
off-peak months
- of the year and higher during the periods of
high use or
- winter months.
If I am pulling a trailer, what toll would I pay?
- Please see the Proposed Simplified Toll
Rates.
What happens if I travel all three bridges? It looks like
- I will pay more than I have been paying
with the discount
- programs.
- If you have a transponder and a prepaid
account you will
- pay $.70 per trip on the Cape Coral and
Midpoint Bridges
- and $1.00 per trip on the Sanibel Bridges.
However, you
- will not need to spend the money up front to
purchase the
- discount program for all three bridges.
Depending on each
- person's actual use, some people could pay
less under this
- scenario; some people could pay more. This
simplified
- structure still has a discount built into it
and will eliminate
- the unfairness of the current structure which
has allowed
- the frequent users to be subsidized by the
infrequent users.
Do I have to have a prepaid account?
- Yes, the transponder will not work without a
prepaid account.
- To receive the discounted ETC toll you must
set up and
- maintain a prepaid account. Customers with
prepaid
- accounts may also participate in Variable
Pricing at the Cape
- Coral and Midpoint Toll Facilities which
provides a 50%
- discount when you travel during eligible
off-peak times. If
- you do not have a prepaid account you will
pay the cash
- rate as shown in the chart.
What happens if I have a LeeWay prepaid account and
- the balance is zero?
- You would pay the cash toll in the cash lanes
because there
- are no funds from which to initiate an
electronic transaction.
Will the Variable Pricing discounts continue?
- Variable Pricing rewards drivers with a 50%
discount when
- they travel during eligible off-peak times
when capacity is
- available on the roadway system. Switching to
off-peak
- times reduces demand on the roadway network.
This delays
- or possibly eliminates, the need for costly
capital
- improvements thereby saving the County money.
For this
- reason, the Board of County Commissioners is
maintaining
- the Variable Pricing discount program. For
travelers on the
- Cape Coral and Midpoint Bridges, a half-price
toll of 35 cents
- is offered during Variable Pricing times.
Can I receive a second vehicle discount if I have two
- vehicles on one account?
- Since upfront payment for toll discount
programs would no
- longer be required, second car discounts
would no longer
- be meaningful. However, the second vehicle
discount was
- included when calculating the average toll
for customers.
- Additionally, transponders would be
transferable and
- customers that had programs for only one or
two facilities
- would gain an added savings at all three
bridges.
I used to have a discount program for Sanibel only. Can
- I use my transponder at all three Lee
County facilities?
- If you have a prepaid account the ETC toll
will be paid
- automatically on any toll bridge in Lee
County. If you do not
- have a prepaid account you will have to pay
cash at the
- cash toll rate.
Can I transfer my transponder to another vehicle?
- Yes, if this program is adopted, transponders
will become
- transferable because there would be no
discount program
- associated with the transponder. However, the
transponder
- must be attached to the windshield with
something like
- Velcro. Customer representatives will happily
help you with
- this process. They can also test the
transponder in the
- Service Center's test lane, before you leave.
If you would
- like to do this yourself please call the
Service Center for
- assistance.
If transponders can now be transferred from vehicle
- to vehicle, can I hold my transponder in
my hand
- when I drive through the toll facility
lanes?
- No, transponders not affixed are more likely
to misread
- or not read in the lane requiring you to pay
the cash toll.
- To prevent this from occurring LeeWay
requires the transponders
- must be attached. Citations will be issued if
- the transponders are not attached.
What happens if my transponder is in another car
- and I travel through the toll facility?
- If in a gated or cash lane, you must pay the
cash toll
- because you do not have the funds from which
to
- initiate an electronic transaction. If you
are in a
- dedicated lane without a gate, you will
receive a warning
- notice and will then be subject to citations.
- My business purchases unlimited discount
programs
- for the Sanibel toll facility for our
employees' personal vehicles.
How do I keep from paying for their personal trips?
- LeeWay provides statements to customers for
this
- purpose. The statements document all trips
made with
- a transponder. You and your employees will
have to
- determine which trips are work related or
personal. You
- will then have to work out an internal system
for reimbursement.
- LeeWay provides two monthly, itemized
- statements per year free of charge upon
request. Statements
- of the current requested month will be mailed
out
- during the following month. Additional
monthly, itemized
- statements are also available starting at
$1.50 per month
- and can be paid through your prepaid account.
I used to automatically renew my discount
- program(s) with my credit card each year,
what must
- I do under the simplified toll structure?
- The discount programs no longer exist, so
there is
- nothing to renew or do annually. However you
still need
- to maintain your prepaid account and
periodically
- update the vehicle information in your LeeWay
account.
- You can have your prepaid account
automatically replenished
- when it reaches a low balance of $10.00.
Please
- call the LeeWay Service Center for more
information.