FDOT Emergency Travel Alert: For information on the current situation, please visit the following
page - 
451936-2 Hurricane Ian Sanibel Island Access
Project Details
About
On October 5, 2022, the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) contractors mobilized to complete emergency repairs to the Sanibel Causeway. After only six days, the project team was able to expedite repairs and lead a convoy of utility restoration teams and equipment across the Sanibel Causeway. On October 19, just three weeks after Hurricane Ian washed away the land and roadway connecting the mainland to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, and a week ahead of schedule, FDOT opened the bridge to first responders, utility crews, contractors and residents.
Hurricane Ian forever changed the landscape of the Sanibel Causeway, simply because the storm shifted sands from the islands. While we are looking to reconstruct a more resilient design, the goal of the project is to return the Causeway to the pre-storm condition to the maximum extent possible.
The plan entails building the roadway to standards and specifications, constructing permanent bridge approaches, and restoring drainage, lighting, pavement markings, as well as providing access for utility service along the causeway islands. Support will be given to protect the natural environment from corroding shorelines while meeting the community’s needs such as safe recreational areas for residents and visitors to enjoy the beaches. Please click on the links below listed under Proposed Resiliency Measures in the Project Documents section of this page for more information.
The project team put an extraordinary amount of manpower and materials into the project to ensure all road lanes on the causeway were open for the Christmas holidays in 2023 – 15 months after Hurricane Ian had destroyed access to Sanibel. Every member of this project team took great personal pride in getting the roadway open for the 2023 holidays.
FDOT is proud of the work we have accomplished to restore access to Sanibel Island to first responders, residents, and visitors. Work to restore the causeway and the area east of the toll plaza leading up to the causeway is expected to be completed in mid-2025. FDOT estimates that at this time the recreational areas of the Punta Rassa Boat Ramp and the Causeway Islands Park will be returned to Lee County to complete the restoration.
Public Involvement
Contact Information
| Communications Team |
|---|
|
Jennifer Dorning
239-338-7723
Jennifer.Dorning@dot.state.fl.us
|
| For Media Inquiries Only |
|
fdot-d1comm@dot.state.fl.us
|
RoadWatch
-
Sanibel Causeway Emergency Restoration: Crews have moved traffic to the permanent lanes on the Sanibel Causeway. The causeway islands surrounding the temporary roadway are an active work zone and are currently closed for public access, including from the water.
The following work activities above are scheduled to occur, however unforeseen underground conditions and weather may affect this schedule.West of the Toll Plaza:
During the nighttime/overnight hours of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., motorists should expect one lane of travel with a flagging operation for the contractor to complete final paving of the roadway. This work is anticipated to be complete by the end of January.
Motorists should expect intermittent flagging during daytime hours throughout the causeway for various work activities.
Motorists should expect traffic to be intermittently stopped at the staging area entrance as equipment crosses the road with materials for work on the south side of McGregor Boulevard and on the south side of the toll plaza.
Lee County is installing a post & rope system to temporarily delineate pedestrian traffic on the causeway islands during the upcoming recreational facility reconstruction. THE CAUSEWAY ISLANDS PARK REMAINS CLOSED TO PUBLIC ACCESS.
Motorists are urged to use caution and obey the 20 MPH speed limit. Construction vehicles and equipment continue to enter/exit the travel lanes throughout the project.
Crews continue work on the off-island U-turn under Span A.
East of the Toll Plaza:
Motorists should expect eastbound and westbound lane closures on McGregor Boulevard from the toll plaza to Shell Point Boulevard for multiple work activities. The contractor expects to maintain at least one lane in each direction.
Crews are currently restoring the median between Port Comfort Road and Punta Rassa Road. This work requires a westbound lane closure.
Crews will be restoring guardrail and the asphalt shoulder along eastbound McGregor Boulevard. This work requires the outside lane to be closed to allow crews to work safety on the south side of the roadway. The contractor expects to close this lane later this month.
The shoulder on McGregor Boulevard remains FULLY CLOSED TO ACCESS from the toll plaza to approximately ¾ miles east. The contractor is scheduled to stabilize the shoulder in March 2025.
Motorists can continue to expect intermittent daytime flagging on McGregor Boulevard, both eastbound and westbound from Shell Point Boulevard to Punta Rassa Road for crews to move equipment and materials.
Many oversized vehicles are crossing the causeway to assist with recovery efforts on the island. Please be patient as travel may be slower than usual. Bicyclists are encouraged to utilize another mode of transportation to travel the causeway and pedestrians are not permitted on the Sanibel Causeway. MOTORISTS ARE REMINDED TO OBEY THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 20 MPH THROUGHOUT THE WORK ZONE.
