Newsroom
Mission Manatee
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA. (April 4, 2008)
In late 2005, VESystems, LLC of Irvine, CA, was awarded a contract to implement a Violation Enforcement System for LeeWay’s three toll bridges that connect Fort Myers with Cape Coral and Sanibel Island. Aware of the great beauty and unique qualities of this area, VESystems was challenged to install a violations enforcement system that would preserve the environment at toll plazas that are very close to the waters of the San Carlos bay. Typically toll violations enforcement systems use a high powered flash system to aid in photo image quality during evening hours. This technical solution did not seem compatible with the pristine scene of then Lee county toll plazas. Repeated flashes of strobe lights would be intrusive to the environment surrounding the bridges
After exploring this with local environmental entities VESystems recognized that the flash of the cameras would affect not only the birds in the region but also the various species that inhabit the waters near the bridges. One particular mammal would be affected by this: manatees.
According to studies there are approximately 3,300 manatees living in the waters of Florida with over 50% of them in the areas around the Fort Myers communities. The manatee’s low reproductive rate, combined with loss of habitat and high rates of mortality, often from human-related causes, threaten the animal’s survival. Manatees and humans interact with one another on a regular basis. VESystems was sensitive not to add to the issues impacting the manatees. The manatee is endangered due to:
- Extensive development of coastal lands for housing, agricultural, and commercial purposes
- Irresponsible recreational and commercial boating practices
- Poor water quality from civic, commercial, industrial, or agricultural affluent
- Alteration of wetlands for dredge and fill operations; channelization of rivers, streams, and other changes to fresh-water flow
These human impacts have diminished the extent and environmental quality of much of the manatee's once pristine habitat and continue to do so at an alarming rate. It was VESystems’ mission to ensure our solutions for LeeWay would not contribute to any further issues for the manatees.
VESystems performed an extensive research in the market to find cameras that would not have any light or flash effect on the environment. To accomplish this we teamed up with INEX/Zamir and installed infrared cameras as a part of the toll violations enforcement solution on all of the Lee County toll bridges. These particular cameras do not utilize flash to enhance image capture and therefore don’t disturb the nighttime environment in the area.
Today the agency accomplished their mission: improve capacity of their bridges and customer service by removing the gates from all their bridges while respecting the stunning natural surroundings of their facilities.