LEE CO., Fla. — It’s an answer not a lot of those living in Lee County knew- do Lee County’s bridges stay open during a hurricane threat?
"I’m new so I don’t know," said one person.
“I think that when it reaches a certain wind speed, then they’ll shut the bridges down," said another.
But during Lee County's news conference, the answer was not exactly.
While County Manager Roger Desjarlais said, "the bridges will remain open.” He then advised travelers that crossing could depend at certain points.
"As wind velocities continue to increase, that’s a decision that we will leave to the sheriff’s office,” said Desjarlais.
And while some may be taking the path of bridges to evacuate, others we’ve spoken to have decided to stay put.
“We’ve been through so many hurricanes, you know, we just take the steps to be prepared,” said Chad Lyons, who lives in Cape Coral.
Lyons took the time on Monday to place hurricane shutters outside the windows of his Cape Coral home.
“I’m going to set them out underneath the windows until I get some more information from the news about where the weather is," he said. "But we just get the regular stuff. We make sure we have water, I have a generator, and toilet paper- I mean- hello!”
Next door to him, Tim Sweeney checks in on a home belonging to one of his real estate clients.
"Everything’s coming inside so it doesn’t get blown away.”
He says he’s also decided to ride out the storm.
“I’m not sure really where I would go," said Sweeney. "I do have friends in other parts of the state I could go to but my house is a concrete block and it’s got all the hurricane protection and stuff so I think I feel pretty safe.”
Until evacuation decisions have been made, people like Lyons say they continue prepping as others look to see what will happen on the bridges.
"Just be prepared," he says. "Everything will be okay.”
