NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Caloosahatchee Bridge will remain closed for possibly up to a week, as FDOT crews perform emergency repairs on a road leading to the bridge.
Lanes in both directions have been closed since 2:00 Tuesday afternoon causing traffic troubles. Fort Myers police say they expect the closure to last 3 to 7 days, but so far FDOT has not confirmed that.
FDOT says the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure is about an emergency with roadway leading up to the bridge called approach slabs – and believed they may have been washed out.
While we’re hearing two different sides as to a time frame of when the bridge can be reopened it’s got some concerned.
"All of a sudden, I see a whole stream of cars making u-turns going this way and going that way.”
On US-41 in North Fort Myers, barriers are going up as officials close the Caloosahatchee Bridge to all travelers.
“This is going to hurt the business because nobody can go across the bridge and nobody can come back down the bridge," says Sirron Jackson, who lives in North Fort Myers. "The police had the corner where you turn into IHOP blocked off.”
Jackson works at the IHOP off US-41 next to North Shore Park. Aside from impacting businesses, he says he can see this causing headaches for some behind the wheel.
"A lot of people going home from work," said Jackson. "They’ve got to cross the bridge and now they’ve got to take another route. Now there’s going to be more traffic in that other route.”
And that was clear in downtown Fort Myers tonight as lines of cars could be seen detouring.
“I hate it for them.”
Joyce Nedoff and her husband are visiting their daughter in Cape Coral helping her recover from Hurricane Ian.
"We actually are staying at an Airbnb so we’re just walking. We haven’t been affected today. It might affect us tomorrow, though, we’ll see.”
We’ve been told that crews are working to determine the timeline of the closure as well as the cause. If repairs need to be made, FDOT says they will finish it with grout and concrete. In the meantime, travelers will have to use either the Edison or Midpoint Bridges.
"We’re vacationing and retired so our time is open ended," said Nedoff.
The School District of Lee County also says the bridge closing will cause delays in bus transport. So if you’re a parent of a Lee County Schools student the district is asking for patience.
Motorists traveling Northbound U.S. 41 from south of the bridge
- Turn right onto State Road (S.R.) 82
- Turn onto left Northbound Business U.S. 41
- Turn left onto Pondella Road
- Turn right onto Northbound U.S. 41
Motorists traveling Southbound U.S. 41 from north of bridge
- Turn left onto Pondella Road
- Turn right onto Business U.S. 41
- Turn right onto S.R. 82
- Turn left onto Southbound U.S. 41
