FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
              (239) 335-2777

BOARD APPROVES WATER PLANT EXPANSION

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 7, 2004) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved the following items (all decisions were unanimous) during its regular weekly meeting (backup can be viewed at http://www.lee-county.com/meetings/agendafiles/2004/12-07-04/120704/120704.htm). They are:

Refinancing Bonds - Authorized the chairman to sign the documents for the refinancing at lower interest rates of $28.9 million of transportation bonds issued in 1995 to help fund the construction of the Midpoint Memorial Bridge. The county expects to save $2.5 million.

Water Plant Expansion - Approved an $8.5 million contract with Harn R/O Systems to expand the Pinewoods Water Treatment Plant from 2.1 to 5.1 million gallons per day. The reverse-osmosis plant will draw from the Floridan aquifer. Pinewoods is located in south Lee County in Estero.

Queue Jump - Approved the ranking of consultants to design a queue jump at Colonial Boulevard and Metro Parkway. County staff will negotiate a contract with the number one ranked firm, Pitman-Hartenstein & Associates. The consultant will design and permit a Queue Jump (electronic toll overpass integrated with the Leeway/Sunpass systems) at the intersection of SR 739 (Metro Parkway) and SR 884 (Colonial Boulevard). The design will consist of a minimum of one lane in each direction of SR 884 being elevated over SR 739, to allow the through movement on SR 884 to bypass the signalized at-grade intersection, which will remain. (The design shall be prepared so that the installation of the queue jump can be converted in the future to a fully functional overpass with the at-grade intersection for the eastbound and westbound through movement).