FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFTX) — Municipalities and counties across Southwest Florida have instated mandatory curfews to allow for first responders to better prepare and respond to Hurricane Milton.
We're keeping track of these curfews to keep you and your family safe.
Please follow these rules when dealing with signal outages:
- A traffic light that is completely out should be treated like an all-way stop sign. Come to a complete stop and proceed with caution when clear.
- A flashing yellow light can be driven through without stopping, but do so at a slower speed and with caution.
- A flashing red light should be treated as a stop sign.
In addition, follow these safety tips:
- Do not drive through flooded roadways. Water can be deeper than you realize.
- Proceed with extreme caution when encountering debris.
- Follow all curfews and closures put into effect by local governments. These are not only for your safety, they also keep roads clear for first responders to do their jobs.
Charlotte County
The curfew previously set for Charlotte County has been lifted except for the barrier islands, officials announced on Sunday.
A 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew is still in effect for Manasota Key, Little Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro, Knight Island, Thornton Key, Sandpiper Key and Palm Island until further notice. Violating the curfew could result in a misdemeanor.
The ban on the sale of alcohol has been lifted for all areas.
Beach Road is only accessible to property owners.
The Charlotte County Emergency Operations Center can provide recovery information at 941-833-4000 or on its website.
The Charlotte County Emergency Management Call Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.
Collier County
The City of Naples has a mandatory driving curfew as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Credentialed essential personnel are exempt.
Lee County
The curfew for Fort Myers, which was previously in place, has been lifted effective Sunday, Oct. 13.
The City of Bonita Springs continues to ask residents to remain in place and avoid travel as much as possible. There is a curfew in place for the beach area from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. until further notice. The curfew applies to vehicle and foot traffic for the entire area, including Little Hickory and Big Hickory Island. County crews are working to clear debris and a significant amount of sand from roadways.
The Mantanzas Pass Bridge reopens for residents and property owners only at 12 p.m. Thursday.
Sanibel Causeway is now accessible without a Hurricane Re-Entry permit. However, the city manager's office is requesting people avoid traveling to Sanibel or Captiva unless you have necessary business there.
Sarasota County
Access to barrier islands, including Casey Key, Manasota Key, Siesta Key and Longboat Key, remains closed. Residents can leave the islands, but will not be allowed to re-enter until search and rescue missions are completed.
In North Port the city says they're working to lower water levels, and assess infrastructure.
Sarasota County officials are also asking neighbors to shelter in place.
SWFL International Airport
The airport is making plans to resume operations Friday.
Oct. 10, 8:20 am: We will be working with our airlines, federal agencies (FAA, TSA and CBP), concessions, parking and more to determine when operations will begin tomorrow. As soon as we know, we will post. Please be patient as everyone at RSW works to get you back in the air. pic.twitter.com/LF5YEXkM3A
— SWFL Int'l Airport (@RSWAirport) October 10, 2024
