Traffic jam challenges access to Sanibel Island amid Causeway construction

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Sanibel Causeway is down to one lane while construction continues, causing significant traffic jams for travelers and putting a potential strain on local businesses.

During rush hours, drivers heading to the Sanibel Causeway are experiencing bumper-to-bumper traffic, sometimes extending wait times up to two hours.

For some, these delays can be incredibly frustrating.

Sanibel resident Rebecca Cox said she hasn’t been driving much because of the traffic but knows when to plan her trips to avoid the heaviest wait times.

“You don’t want to leave at the end of the day,” Cox said. “Plan to leave early in the morning and come back on early because it will be backed up.”

Others see that although the traffic is inconvenient, it is a sign of progress.

“It’s a double-bladed sword,” Billy Kirkland, owner of Billy’s Bike Rentals, said. “If we didn’t have the causeway, think where we would be.”

Despite the hurdles after Hurricane Ian swept through Southwest Florida, dozens of businesses remain open, and owners are urging people to come to the island, including Kirkland.

“It’s hurting us, I know that, but if we didn’t have at least some traffic coming on the island, it would be no business,” Kirkland said.

He said residents and businesses strive to make Sanibel what it was again.

For his own, Billy’s Bike Rentals, he noted increased reservations, expressing optimism that the traffic challenges will only deter some.

“Sanibel is Sanibel. If you love it, you’ll come,” Kirkland said. “You’re going to wait in line and come to the island.”

Valerie Tutor, a resident and realtor, believes that the construction isn’t holding people up but rather people coming to help the island recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

“When you see all that traffic in the morning, it’s a positive thing because it’s the people coming to heal us – to fix us,” Tutor said.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the Sanibel Causeway will be reduced to one lane through the second week of December as crews continue construction.

However, she urged visitors to be patient and not let the delays be a deterrent.

“Even if you get here by 11:00 or noon, you can eat lunch, go shopping, go to the beach—there’s lots and lots to do,” Tutor said.