FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:  Kris Cella, Cella & Associates, Inc. Kcella@cella.cc

               (239)337-1071

Sanibel Drawbridge Replacement Reevaluation Study Questionnaire Asks "Which Do You Prefer?"

Fort Myers, FL (August 27, 2003) This winter (2003), the Lee County Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin construction to replace the middle bridge and the bridge closest to Sanibel on the Causeway. Originally the Lee DOT was planning to rehabilitate the Sanibel drawbridge. However, it has been determined that Structure A, which includes the drawbridge, must be replaced due to accelerated deteriorating structural conditions. The following three alternatives were previously evaluated in the PD&E study and are being reevaluated to select a recommended alternative to present to the public for comments.

The Lee County Department of Transportation is polling Sanibel bridge users by mailing a questionnaire to all property owners on Sanibel and Captiva (with the exception of governmental agencies) and to all LeeWay account holders with a Sanibel option. The questionnaire asks the public to select their preference for the bridge replacement alternative. In addition, the questionnaire asks if the County should consider designing the bridges to allow the future construction of an additional lane off Sanibel Island.

Many property owners who are LeeWay account holders will receive multiple questionnaires and are being asked to fill out and mail back all of the questionnaires they may receive. For example, if you own three parcels on Sanibel and have a LeeWay account (with a Sanibel option) you will receive four questionnaires. When those questionnaires are returned, three will be recorded in the Sanibel property owner database and one will be recorded in the LeeWay database. The results of each database will be summarized and documented. Then a second database will be prepared that eliminates the duplicate responses. Each of the groups that are polled will be analyzed separately. It is very important that all questionnaires be filled out and returned. After the responses for each group are tabulated, the results will be provided to the public at upcoming public meetings.

The questionnaire will be used as informational material by the project team. This is an opinion poll intended to gauge public opinion and is not intended to be a scientific survey. The results will not be tabulated together for cumulative results. Each group polled will be summarized and presented independently.

To provide information about the project to the public, a web page is now available on the Sanibel Drawbridge Replacement Study. Interested parties can access the web page at www.lee-county.com and select Sanibel Causeway, then select Sanibel Causeway Improvements Project Structure A Reevaluation or visit a public library for Internet access. A hard copy of the web page is available at the Sanibel Public Library. The web page gives a brief history of the Sanibel Causeway, an overview of the Sanibel Causeway Project Development and Environment Study completed in 2001 and the recommendations from the study. In addition, the web page has computer generated renderings of the three alternatives that are being considered to replace Structure A including the drawbridge. Local media is encouraged to download the computer generated renderings and associated technical information for media coverage.

Click on an image below to see a larger version.

                    
  Existing Bridge            Low Version          Medium Version          High Version