FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:    Scott Gilbertson, Lee County Department of Transportation
                (941) 479-8580 or Don DeBerry, 479-8503

JOINT EFFORT COULD LEAD TO DANIELS/I-75 IMPROVEMENTS THIS SUMMER

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 21, 2002) – Lee County could begin improvements to the Interstate 75/Daniels Parkway Interchange as early as this summer through a cooperative agreement among several agencies. 

The Daniels Interchange is congested, however improvement funds had not been identified in the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) five-year work program. 

By working together, FDOT, the Lee County Port Authority, and Lee County’s Department of Transportation (LDOT) have been able to piece together $1.54 million to expedite the project and begin construction this summer. 

Improvements would include doubling the capacity of the off-ramps, including dual right-turn lanes and left-turn lanes onto Daniels Parkway.  They also would include lengthening the left-turn lanes from westbound Daniels Parkway onto southbound I-75 (toward Naples). 

The money is coming from the Port Authority ($150,000) and FDOT ($1 million for resurfacing Daniels from I-75 to Treeline Ave. in 2003 and $390,000 from congestion management projects in 2005).  Lee County DOT will advance the funding and construction, with repayment from FDOT in 2003 and 2005. 

The county hopes to bid the project this summer. 

“This is an example of what we can get done when we all work together and look for creative ways to tackle complex problems,” said Scott Gilbertson, the county’s Transportation Director. 

Other interchanges along I-75 south of State Road 78 also are in various stages of improvements.  The S.R. 78, S.R. 80 and Bonita Beach Road interchanges have all been improved in the last two years.  The Colonial Boulevard Interchange is in the design phase and scheduled for construction in 2003, and the Alico Road Interchange is programmed for improvements within the next five years.  Luckett Road currently is the only interchange operating without major problems and it appears no improvements are needed at that location.  The Corkscrew Road Interchange is being considered for improvements under both regional mall applications that are in the permitting process, but currently only experiences major problems during special events. 

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 traffic signal system and operates the toll facilities on the Midpoint Memorial, Cape Coral and Sanibel Causeway bridges.  It employs 374 and has an annual operating budget of $32.9 million.