Posted on 06/16/2017 5:17:47 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
LEE COUNTY, Fla. -
The entire westbound span of the Cape Coral Bridge will be replaced in about 11 years.
That overhaul will be an expensive project costing $88 million.
At the rate you're paying the $2 toll right now, the money could be saved and ready to pay for it in half that time.
However, that’s not happening, and NBC2 investigated to find out why.
More than 20,000 vehicles pass over the Cape Coral Bridge in a single day.
Drivers headed to the Cape from Fort Myers have to pay $2 before jumping on the westbound span.
"Living on this side of it, it does get expensive," said commuter Missy Kosinsky.
In 1964, Lee County built the westbound lanes, except at that time, the structure was just a two-lane bridge with one eastbound and one westbound lane.
In 1989, a second span was built which became two lanes for eastbound traffic, and the existing bridge became two lanes for westbound traffic.
A $30.7 million bond was issued by Lee County in 2011 to refinance existing debt from a bond issued in the late 1980s on the Cape Coral Bridge when construction began on the second span.
Since 2011, Lee County has been making payments on that bond and will pay it off Oct. 1.
Lee County says it does not plan on issuing any more debt or bond for specifically the Cape Coral Bridge until 2028.
At that time, Lee County says the entire westbound span (the original bridge) will have to be completely replaced. That project will cost $88 million.
"They're writing checks for money we don't have," said Mike Shelton, a Cape Coral business owner.
Some taxpayers NBC2 spoke with think the county should save up for the major overhaul by using the toll money collected every year from the more than eight million vehicles that use the Cape Coral Bridge.
"Let the bridges that can support themselves and pay for themselves, do it!" Shelton said. Our investigation uncovered that Lee County would have time to save to replace the Cape Coral Bridge between now and 2028.
Come Oct. 1, the debt from construction of the eastbound lanes will be paid off. However, toll money collected over the next decade will be used for other bridges and road projects instead of being put toward the expected span replacement.
"I want it to be safe, but I think we'll be paying on it the rest of our lives," Kosinsky said.
Here's how it works: The $2 you pay to go over the Cape Coral Bridge doesn't necessarily mean it pays for it. Lee County can and does use it to pay for debt on the Midpoint Bridge, Veteran’s Parkway, the Sanibel Causeway or county-wide transportation debt as a whole.
Lee County considers its three bridge systems as one transportation facility with one pot of money to pay for them. That pot of money is funded by tolls.
"They put it in a big pot and use it for all of them. Take one bond, one bridge. Let that bridge pay for itself. They're putting us in a system where we'll never catch up," Shelton said.
"You pay the toll for the bridge, you might as well use it for the bridge," said Devin McGowan, a frequent visitor to Cape Coral.
The Cape Coral Bridge earned more than $16 million in toll money between 2015 and 2016.
Only $5.5 million went toward the bond on it in that time frame.
"Stop that system. That system is not working. That system has been in affect since 1964, and it hasn't worked yet," Shelton said.
Lee County says the system is working, but it just means there will always be bridge debt and a toll to pay.
Right now, both the east and west spans of the Cape Coral Bridge are rated as in good condition. The spans were last inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation in August 2015.
Lee County says the replacement of the west side is inevitable in the next decade.
Toll money from the Sanibel Causeway and Midpoint Bridge as well as issuing more bonds will help pay for that project replacement project.
In total, Lee County has $137 million in transportation system debt.
Cape Coral Bridge History and Debt
Lee County considers it's three bridges Sanibel Bridge/Causeway , Midpoint Bridge and Cape Coral Bridge as one transportation facility.
Individual bridges never get paid off. Essentially there is one big pot of debt that Lee County has for the bridge systems, however they have series of bonds that are taken out on each one for maintenance and refinancing.
Cape Coral Bridge was built in 1963 and opened in 1964. Originally it was a two-lane bridge with one eastbound and one westbound lane.
In 1989 a second span was built which became two-lanes for eastbound traffic---and the existing bridge became two lanes for westbound traffic.
A $30.7 million bond was issued by Lee County in 2011 to refinance existing debt from a bond issued in 1987 on the Cape Coral Bridge when construction began on the second span.
Since 2011 Lee County has been making payments on that bond and will pay it off on October 1st 2017.
Lee County says it does not plan on issuing anymore debt or bond for specifically the Cape Coral Bridge until 2028.
In 2028, Lee County says the entire westbound span (the original bridge) will have to be completely replaced. That project will cost $88 million.
Toll revenue from all three bridge systems goes to fund future work/maintenance/ replacement/ repairs on all the bridges. So, Cape Coral Bridge tolls DO NOT specifically pay for Cape Coral Bridge work, instead the two bucks you pay to go over it could end up paying for Midpoint Bridge debt or Sanibel causeway debt.
Debt on the Cape Coral Bridge that has existed since 1987 will be paid off this year. However, the bridge itself is never fully paid off because maintenance is always a factor and like we mentioned, in a decade 2028, $88 million dollars will be spent to replace it.
In total between Midpoint Bridge, Cape Coral Bridge and Sanibel Causeway---Lee County has $137 million in transportation system debt.
Cape Coral Bridge Inspection History (FDOT)
Cape Coral Bridge's Eastbound Span (the newest side built in 1989) was inspected by FDOT on August 5, 2015 and it received a rating of being in "good condition"
The Westbound span (the oldest side built in 1963) was inspected on August 4, 2015 by FDOT and it received a "good condition" rating as well. However the water line on the pilings of the westbound span received a "satisfactory" rating which FDOT says is a lesser rating than "good condition" The westbound pilings received "satisfacotry" rating because of the age of that particular span.
Both sides of the Cape Coral Bridge do not have sidewalks or bike paths. FDOT says any future replacement of either span will require those be put in. There are aspects to both sides railings as well that if and when they are replaced will be different than when they were originally built because standards have changed.
Cape Coral Bridge Traffic Use Statistics
Annual traffic from 2015--2016 was about 8,300,000 vehicles.
That equates to 691,666 vehicles PER MONTH
That equates to 159,615 vehicles PER WEEK
That equates to 22,739 vehicles PER DAY
At minimum--- (not counting LeeWay discounts or double axle vehicles or trailers) Lee County charges the average car $2.00 for the Cape Coral Bridge Toll
8.3 million vehicles X $2.00 = $16,600,000 PER YEAR
So the ‘rich’ toll payers are supporting roads for the ‘poor’ non toll road users?
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