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NAPLES — They’re taking a stand.

Collier County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization members may be outnumbered by Lee County’s, but the Collier board is not mincing its words on their desire for a share of the funds being redirected from a $9.2 million earmark originally intended for a study of an interchange at Coconut Road and Interstate 75 in Lee County.

The Collier County board on Friday voted unanimously in favor of allocating up to $2.5 million of the earmark to fund improvements to the under-construction interchange at Immokalee Road and I-75. That would leave the remaining $6.7 million for additions to the Bonita Beach Road interchange with I-75.

Funds became available after Lee County’s MPO voted in August 2007 to return the money from the controversial $10 million earmark for a Coconut Road interchange, and asked Congress to reallocate the money toward the expansion of I-75. In June, President George Bush approved a bill that included language redirecting $9.2 million to the I-75 project in Lee and Collier counties.

Collier County MPO Director Phil Tindall said he is confident Lee and Collier can come to a mutually-agreeable solution when the two counties convene Oct. 17 for the joint Lee-Collier MPO board meeting.

However, Lee County advisory committee members on Oct. 2 flexed their muscles on the issue, outvoting members from Collier County on a panel that includes both counties and reports to the joint MPO board.

Then again, the votes may not be the deciding factor in where the money goes.

Stan Cann, secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 1, which covers Collier and Lee, said Friday that both counties would need to submit their plans to FDOT for consideration to receive the funds.

“We need to spend some time on this,” Cann said. “It has to go to a new improvement of the interstate. You need to show me that this is going to do that, so it makes sense to spend it there.”

Collier County Transportation Planning Director Nick Casalanguida said the money, if Collier can get it, would go toward purchasing rights of way for dedicated right-turn lanes onto the interstate from Immokalee Road. As it is, Collier does not have the resources to purchase the “slivers of right of way,” and would have to hold off on that project.

Lee County is seeking the funds for interim improvements to the Bonita Beach Road interchange, Cann said.

“It should be noted that we have an active project,” Casalanguida said Friday to the board. “We put up the $16.9 million for that interchange. Lee County’s project is still unfunded.”

Friday’s unanimous vote was passed by six members of the MPO board. Not present were Everglades City Mayor Sammy Hamilton and Naples City Council members Dee Sulick and Bill Willkomm.