Driving down Challenger Boulevard and Winkler Avenue in Fort Myers is going to be a challenge starting Monday. You won't be able to drive down Challenger Boulevard east of Winkler Avenue.
It's already causing a lot of stress for drivers like Imad Ibrihim.
"It's been very tough lately," Ibrihim said. "You know, for us to live around this area. Plus, we have a business, and it's very stressful. We have to change routes taking Winkler."
For parents trying to pick up and drop off their kids at Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School, here are your options:
Option 1:
Turn right on Challenger Boulevard, turn left on Six Mile Cypress, and then take Colonial Boulevard all the way down. You can turn back onto Winkler, which takes you to the side that's open.
Option 2:
Turn right on Challenger Boulevard, turn right on Six Mile Cypress Parkway, go all the way down and turn right onto Winkler Avenue until the road closes.
Laura Connell, a Fort Myers resident, said she thinks it's going to cause a lot more traffic.
"Knowing that there's already a lot of challenges with parents pickup and drop-off, having that kind of construction there, it'll probably only add to the challenges," Connell said. "So, I hope that there are law enforcement, SROs, parents or school officials that are there helping to make the process easier.
For all drivers, Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Colonial Boulevard will be your best alternatives. The project is expected to be complete by the middle of next year.
Work is expected to start around 7 a.m. and end around 7 p.m. each day. The city of Fort Myers is warning drivers and pedestrians to use caution while in the area.