Fort Myers Beach tackles traffic chaos with temporary ranger solution

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. - Fort Myers Beach is addressing a significant traffic issue at the intersection of Fifth Street and Old San Carlos Boulevard.

The absence of a crossing guard had left pedestrians and drivers frustrated and concerned for their safety.

The town recently announced a temporary solution to alleviate the problem, which had been causing traffic to come to a standstill.

Abigail Eberhardt, public information officer for the Town of Fort Myers Beach, said they received numerous complaints about the situation.

"We had many calls coming in saying, traffic is ridiculous. I'm waiting in traffic for hours at a time. I never want to come back to Fort Myers Beach," said Eberhardt. "And we heard them. And so we are currently working in conjunction, in conjunction with LD, so to put our rangers out on the intersection."

The town is collaborating with the Lee County Sheriff's Office to deploy rangers and volunteer auxiliary officers to manage traffic at the intersection. Local businesses emphasize the importance of having personnel at the intersection not only for traffic flow but also for safety.

However, Eberhardt stated that this solution is only temporary.

"It has been bided and contracted out. They only got two bids, and they need three in order to move forward with the procurement and the services and making the traffic light work again. And so that's going to be probably until next year," said Eberhardt.

The traffic light remains broken, and the county needs additional bids to proceed with repairs. Until then, officers will continue to staff the intersection to ensure traffic keeps moving.

The town is urging drivers to remain patient and vigilant as it is a busy season.