MATLACHA, Fla. — Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge is expected to speed up, but some business owners on Pine Island and Matlacha tell Fox 4’s Bella Line they still want answers, as there’s still no clear date when it will all be done.
"People won't come from Cape to Matlacha, and people on Pine Island don't want to go through the traffic,” said Cindee Tolliver, the owner of Trader’s Hitching Post on Matlacha.
Her business has been there for decades, but Tolliver says this season has been the worst in almost 30 years!
Watch Pine Island Community Correspondent Bella Line's full report below:
"It was the worst December since 96 or 97. That's just ridiculous. It's half, it's less than half of what I would normally do in December,” said Tolliver.
Line went to get answers from FDOT, and after asking for their plans to help these businesses, they sent a press release saying they will have crews working day and night to get this done.
Line went back to Matlacha to deliver the good news.
"That's awesome news. I mean, imagine if they'd had extra crews on there already. We'd have two lanes. What's taken so long?” asked Tolliver.
FDOT says the project now will be done in Spring of 2025.
"Spring, by the way, is from, what, March 1 to June, something, so when is spring? Tell me when spring is,” said Jay Sanderson, the owner of Island Tactical on Pine Island.
Sanderson says they have struggled to get their normal business from Cape Coral that they rely on and he says it's effecting his employees as well.
"We rely on season to, you know, make our money, and then in the off season, we get by, and we do okay,” said Sanderson.
Tolliver says, after facing 2 hurricanes and now the construction, they need the rest of Southwest Florida's support.
"We've struggled out here a lot since the hurricane. Just to get it up and looking good, people don't want to come out and see the devastation,” said Tolliver.
