CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Drivers continue to contact Fox 4's Cape Coral Community Correspondent, Colton Chavez, saying LeeWay is re-billing them for tolls, going as far back as 20-19.
Since December 2023, I have been taking driver's concerns to county and elected leaders - asking if financial forgiveness could be an option.
On Monday, people like Amanda Berndsen reached out to me to discuss the pricey bill she said she received in the mail from LeeWay.
“I got a bill in the mail for $1,800,” said Berndsen.
A Lee County spokesperson said the 467,000 individually re-billed tolls from LeeWay are due to a switch to a new invoice system.
“I just don't know how I would even afford to pay it,” said Berndsen.
On Monday, Berndsen said she had to quit her job and go on disability and that the tolls were from 2022 when she used to work on Sanibel Island.
I asked her if she believed the re-billed tolls had already been paid.
“Oh, I guarantee they are,” said Berndsen.
Berndsen also said that she believed the road forward for Lee County is through financial forgiveness.
“I think it should be. There should be some sort of resolution or relief because it's not only that we are being re-billed, but everyone is still trying to recover from a hurricane. Everything got destroyed,” said Berndsen.
On Monday, Lee County had yet to respond in regards to the idea of providing financial forgiveness for drivers.
“If they can imagine having a $14,000 income, then you are asking me to take $2,000 and give it to you… Where is that money going to come from?,” Berndsen says.
