Fort Myers Beach is facing traffic delays due to ongoing improvements on the Matanzas Pass Bridge. Detours are causing congestion, especially at the intersection of Crescent Street and Estero Boulevard, making travel on and off the island much slower.
Currently, northbound lanes of Estero Boulevard are closed as crews work on the first phase of the $13 million project, which is expected to last until spring 2025. Local workers, including Jonathon De Paula and Isaiah Kleeman from Margaritaville, are worried about increased traffic during the busy tourist season.
"Getting to my job it can be difficult because it's backed up all the way over there, and then they're going to take two years, they said, so even when the season starts, it's going to be really backed up," Jonathon De Paula and Isaiah Kleeman said.
To address the issues, the Florida Department of Transportation and the town of Fort Myers Beach are considering several measures. Some options on the table include opening additional parking lots for construction crews, installing traffic cameras, and adjusting signal timings to improve traffic flow.
The entire project is expected to be completed in 2026.