Lee County’s $325.48 million Cape Coral Bridge project is expected to enhance the design of both the eastbound and westbound bridges, expanding four lanes to six by 2031.

Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization has ranked this project third on the list of "Roadway Needs" for the 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

“All it's going to take is one accident or a blown-out tire, and it's going to be a several-hour commute to work,” Cape Coral resident Grant Duvall said. “It's already long enough without the construction.”

As Lee County’s bridge project team continues to develop and finalize its design phase, concerns from residents continue to rise.

The new bridge design aims to improve bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions on the 2.3-mile path. The additional lanes on each side will not only ensure safety for those traveling across the bridge in a vehicle, but also for pedestrians and cyclists.

Commuters use the bridge daily between Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

As part-time local residents — "Snowbirds" by description — leave their homes to escape the cold, traffic conditions in Lee County continue to worsen during the time of the year permanent Florida residents call "season."

“I drive to Estero to work,” commuter Al Schulz said. “It's [construction] going to probably make my commute at least half an hour longer, I would imagine, because right now it takes me between 45 minutes to an hour during season to get to work. So I'm guessing it's going to be about an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half with even more traffic congestion.”

Schulz uses the bridge five to six times a week.

The first westbound bridge was built in 1963, and the eastbound bridge in 1989; however, those four lanes no longer serve the ever-growing population of Lee County residents.

The Cape Coral bridge extends from the west Del Prado Boulevard intersection to the east McGregor Boulevard intersection, serving as a pathway above the Caloosahatchee River.

Eastbound traffic begins on Del Prado Boulevard, turning left onto Cape Coral Parkway; westbound traffic begins on McGregor Boulevard, turning left onto College Parkway.

“The intersection at College Parkway and McGregor Boulevard fails because the dual northbound to westbound left turn lanes quickly merge into one westbound three lane immediately after the intersection, causing congestion,” Lee County Department of Transportation director Rob Price said at a public hearing on the bridge in August 2024.

The project team for the Cape Coral Bridge reconstruction was unavailable to speak directly on the matter.

“Getting to the bridge is the hard part,” Shulz said. “I live in the middle of Cape Coral, so coming down Del Prado and getting onto Cape Coral Parkway usually is the main issue. Once you get to Cape Coral Parkway, it's congested for a while at first, but then when you get to the bridge, it usually takes off.”

As the current bridge design has three turning lanes that quickly merge into two lanes on the bridge, an additional lane on each side of the bridge is necessary to eliminate the congestion residents experience when entering the bridge.

“I have a vet that I take my cats to,” Duvall said, “and a lot of times if I have a 9 a.m. appointment, I actually have to leave the house at about 8 a.m., even though the vet is right near McGregor. It's so congested on Cape Coral Parkway that just to get to the bridge, it’s 25 to 30 minutes alone from my house. To get over the bridge can be another 15 to 20 minutes at least.”

The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study will mitigate these experiences through the new design.

As the PD&E study’s design phase approaches its end in 2026, what can residents expect to experience once construction begins in 2027?

“Improvements include three dedicated southbound to eastbound left turn lanes with three through-lanes,” Price said. “The westbound roadway will have three through-lanes.”

The bridge design will also include a U-turn on the east side. This U-turn will be built under the bridge and can be entered from a diverging lane on the right. This lane serves as a safety net for those who want to avoid traffic on the bridge–it gives drivers time to consider the level of congestion as they approach the bridge, then make the decision to turn around and find another route to their destination.

The design phase has also considered building the same U-turn on the west side.

The public hearing stated that this new bridge design is projected to handle 67,000 to 75,000 vehicles per day. The current bridge handles an average of 50,000 vehicles daily.

Duvall crosses the bridge five to six times a week, paying the toll on his way back home each time.

“I do get very frustrated considering our taxes may increase because I pay two dollars to the bridge five times a week,” Duvall said. “That's $10 a week. That doesn't sound like very much, but that's $520 a year to a bridge. That's a lot of money right there.”

Commuters are concerned about how Lee County plans to manage construction while keeping traffic flowing between Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

There will be access to all four lanes throughout the construction period as of right now.

Residents may consider implementing longer travel times or using an alternative route for their daily commutes once construction begins.

“Well, I have a year and a half to think about it, but what I'm probably going to have to do is leave 45 minutes earlier until I get what the flow of traffic is like,” Duvall said.

Despite the inconvenience the construction period may entail, residents still say the project is necessary.

“After looking at the renderings for the bridge, it looks like it's going to be very functional and you know, aesthetically pleasing to the eye,” Schulz said. “I think that this is going to be a major inconvenience for a lot of people. But I think in the long run, it's going to be worth it. It’s just getting to that ‘long-run,’ I guess, is the hard part.”

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