DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation cut the ribbon on the revamped Caloosahatchee Bridge, transforming this vital link between downtown and North Fort Myers with fresh upgrades.
As Fox 4’s North Fort Myers Community Correspondent, Austin Schargorodski works in this area daily, so he went to the ceremony to show you how this project could save lives and spark growth on both sides of the river.
Watch Austin's report here:
Cheers erupted under the Centennial Park Pavilion as the ribbon was cut, with the newly upgraded bridge standing proudly in the background. FDOT’s District One Secretary L.K Madam says the new sidewalk, better lighting, and stronger guardrails make the bridge safer for pedestrians and drivers alike.
After two pedestrian deaths on the bridge in 2023, Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman said these changes were essential.
“Now it’s just so rewarding because you know going forward people will have a safe opportunity to enjoy this bridge. They want to enjoy the Caloosahatchee River and now they can do it safely,” said Hamman.
But getting here wasn’t easy. FDOT’s first plan to keep the bridge partially open during construction was scrapped, and they made the call to shut the bridge down completely to finish in just 10 weeks - shaving off more than a year.
It was a big win for the timeline, but a big headache for drivers.
“It’s gotten horrible. So bad," said one driver after the closure.
“We had to wait in the median for five minutes to make a left turn,” added another.
We showed you how roads like Old 41 became gridlocked as driers detoured over the Edison Bridge. For Marty and Tammy White from Cape Coral, it meant fighting traffic just to get downtown to pick up their mail.
But now, after their first walk across the new bridge, they say the hassle was worth it.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s good exercise,” said Marty. “It gives us a destination, places to go downtown that we didn’t have before walking.”
For Commissioner Hamman, that’s a big part of what this project was about: connecting communities - a bridge to a stronger future.
“When you see downtown, it has revitalized. It has come back over the last few decades. But North Fort Myers has kind of lagged behind,” said Hamman. “This is a chance to connect the two communities and hopefully see some of that success spill over to North Fort Myers so when people move in there they have a great amenity to take advantage of, and a great opportunity to come down and enjoy the restaurants and the businesses here.”
