SANIBEL, Fla. — With the holiday season in full swing, residents and commuters are experiencing unprecedented delays, especially during rush hour, near the Sanibel Causeway.
Local residents have been vocal about the drastic increase in traffic. One person working just a quarter mile from the causeway mentioned sitting in traffic for two hours, while another missed their flight due to a four-hour delay.
The situation is equally frustrating for others, with commutes that usually take minutes now stretching into hours.
In response to these concerns, we reached out to Patricia Pichette of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). According to Pichette, the recent spike in traffic is due to efforts to minimize construction work during the holidays.
She assured that while the traffic might worsen in the short term, the FDOT is working diligently to complete most of the Sanibel Causeway project by year's end.
The Sanibel City officials have noted that the beach renourishment project is not a major factor in the current traffic situation, with most heavy vehicle activity occurring early in the morning.
The traffic situation has prompted some islanders, like Danny Hussey, an IT technician at the Sanibel Library, to switch to bicycles for their daily commute. Hussey, a decade-long resident, claims it's the worst traffic he's ever seen and finds biking a quicker and more efficient way to travel, allowing him more time with his family.
