All travel lanes across the Sanibel Causeway are now open and work on the roadway is substantially complete, a report from the Florida Department of Transporation said late Friday.
Once through the toll plaza, motorists will now be able to drive to Sanibel with more predictable travel times and no altered traffic patterns around which to maneuver.
Work on the islands and in the water surrounding the causeway bridges will continue for another year; major traffic impacts are not expected.
The causeway island parks are tentatively planned for restoration in 2026.
To celebrate the occasion, accomplished less than 15 months after Hurricane Ian destroyed major sections of the causeway, Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson thanked the crew as they wrapped things up for holiday weekend and celebrated their accomplishment with an employee barbecue.
"I'm here this morning to say a huge, huge thank you.. I want you to know that as a community we recognize the help that we're getting from the outside," Johnson said. "I drove across the bridge...and what a beautiful ride. It is you and workers that came before you that are responsible for what we have today."
Restoration of the Causeway began Oct. 5, 2022, just days after Hurricane Ian destroyed several sections of the bridge and roadway and left many residents stranded on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
“We are very grateful for the contractor’s outstanding work on this project,” said Chris Mollitor, FDOT construction manager. “This team of contractors has worked day and night since the storm to bring the project to this milestone. The cooperation of Governor Ron DeSantis’s office, the Federal Highway Administration, Lee County, the City of Sanibel and all the residents and visitors was essential to the success of the project. This milestone is critical to the continued restoration of Sanibel and Captiva Islands.”
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