LEE COUNTY, Fla — After 11 weeks, the Caloosahatchee Bridge is reopening on Monday. Since the closure, it has certainly affected the commute and businesses.
"We’re hearing from a lot of different business owners that people don’t want to go north and then people don’t want to go south, so it’s affecting both sides of the bridge," said Alex Tatko, manager at Coastal Dayz Brewery. "It definitely has slowed down a lot, especially, you know, when you have to use the Edison Bridge. There’s only one bridge and so rush hour’s very bad so instead of stopping and getting a beer, they’re going to spend more time in traffic."
Hear how the bridge closure impacted businesses:
When Fox 4 Senior Reporter Kaitlin Knapp spoke with Tatko before the bridge closed, he said the lack of customers was a concern. Now, Tatko says he's worried that customers found other places to go to eat or drink.
"Maybe someone just found somewhere else to go, even when the bridge opens up, we’re afraid they won’t go back in," he explained.
See how the bridge closure impacted drivers:
The bridge closed because the Florida Department of Transportation wanted to expedite a massive project. They're adding a sidewalk and other safety features to the bridge.
Rather than it potentially taking years to get done, the closure sped up the project by one year and four months ahead of schedule, FDOT said in a statement.
People Fox 4's Bella Line spoke with said they are tired of having to find different routes to get places but they are just glad it is speeding up the project.
“I’m glad they are rushing to get it done but at the same time it’s terrible for the traffic around Hancock and Pondella," said Justin Parmeley, a North Fort Myers resident. "Pondella has become a nightmare especially during the weekdays but at least they are doing it before season starts.”
"I like to think people will still come back out now, especially if they have been sitting away here for the past couple weeks," Tatko said.
Though the bridge is reopening on August 12, there will still be intermittent lane closures during the day and at night. FDOT says the project is expected to be done by Dec. 24, 2024 or early 2025.
