EMERGENCY INFORMATION FDOT Emergency Travel Alert: For information on the current situation, please visit the following page - Alerts.

Project Details
Work Type: Construction Work
Phase: Construction
Limits: Sextant Drive to Port Comfort Road
City:
County:
Road:
Start of Current Phase: Late 2022
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
View Factsheet
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. 

    East of the Toll Plaza: 

    • Both directions of McGregor Boulevard traffic are shifted to the south side of the road from approximately ½ mile from Shell Point Boulevard to west of Port Comfort Road.  Westbound traffic headed to Port Comfort Road may continue straight to turn right to Port Comfort Road.  This shift is necessary for the contractor to reconstruct the underground pipe crossing under the north side of the road.  McGregor Boulevard is scheduled to remain REDUCED TO ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTON through early 2025. 

     

    • Motorists should expect the eastbound (south/beach side) shoulder on McGregor Boulevard FULLY CLOSED TO ACCESS.  Crews have completed work to reinforce the shoreline, as well as paving of the area.  Work continues to place sand along the shoulder and installing barrels in place of the barrier wall.  The contractor is scheduled to open both eastbound lanes to traffic before the end of the year. 

     

    • Motorists should expect temporary daytime lane closures on McGregor Boulevard, both eastbound and westbound from Shell Point Boulevard to Punta Rassa Road for crews to move equipment and materials as necessary. 

    West of the Toll Plaza: 

    • Crews will begin removing barrier wall along the causeway islands in preparation for final asphalt. THE CAUSEWAY ISLANDS PARK REMAINS CLOSED TO PUBLIC ACCESS.  

     

    • Lee County is installing a post & rope system to temporarily delineate pedestrian traffic on the causeway islands during the upcoming recreational facility reconstruction.  

    • 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. 

     

    • Crews are currently placing armor stone near the south side of the road by the toll plaza. 

     

    • Crews are continuing to install sod for roadway stabilization and pond construction in the coming weeks.  Earthwork (grading) and debris removal continues along the causeway islands.  Please expect construction equipment periodically entering/leaving the travel lanes when necessary.  The contractor is limiting this interruption during peak hours.   

     

    • The westbound merge location is now west of the toll plaza. Motorists are urged to use caution and obey the 20 MPH speed limit. Construction vehicles and equipment continue to enter/exit the staging area near this location.   

     

    • Crews continue work in the area of the off-island U-turn under Span A.  

     

    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.   

Project Documents
Project Images
September 2024 Setting Drainage Pipes
September 2024 Setting Drainage Pipes
September 2024 Cutting Drainage
September 2024 Pouring Junction Slab
September 2024 Headwall Footing
September 2024 Drainage Footing
September 2024 Pouring Junction Slab
August 2024 McGregor Boulevard Pipe Crossing
September 2024 Armor Stone Installation
September 2024 Sewall Cap Concrete Placement
August 2024 Marine Mattress Guide Rod Installation
August 2024 Dewatering Cofferdam
August 2024 Dewatering Cofferdam
August 2024 Backfill Pipe Penetration
July 2024 Fascia Wall
July 2024 Armor Stone
July 2024 Pipe Installation
July 2024 Bridge Pile Removal
July 2024 Marine Mattress Concrete Closure Pour
July 2024 Marine Mattress Concrete Closure Pour
June 2024 Setting Drainage
June 2024 Marine Mattress Backfill
June 2024 Armor Stone Placement
June 2024 Concrete Placement
June 2024 Fascia Wall
June 2024 Setting Drainage
June 2024 Armor Stone Installation
June 2024 Paving Wedge
June 2024 Demoing Existing Drainage Structure
June 2024 Excavating for Marine Mattress Placement
June 2024 Marine Mattress Placement
June 2024 Fascia Wall Concrete Placement
May 2024 Seawall Closure Concrete Pour
May 2024 Armor Stone Placement
May 2024 Excavation for Marine Mattresses
May 2024 Marine Mattress Installation
May 2024 Median Barrier Wall Concrete Placement
May 2024 Fascia Wall Placement
May 2024 Placement of Concrete
Apr 2024 Concrete Cap Placement
Apr 2024 Placement of Concrete Cap
Apr 2024 Marine Mattress Installation
Apr 2024 Excavation in Preparation for Armor Stone Placement
Jan 2024 Island B
Jan 2024 Island A
Jan 2024 Bridge from Mainland
Dec 2023 Road Opens Two Way Traffic
Dec 2023 Securing Island Wall Cap Framework
Nov 2023 Finishing Concrete on New Bridge Approach
Nov 2023 Pouring Concrete for New Bridge Approaches
Nov 2023 Lowering Reinforcing Rebar Into Place
Nov 2023 Preparing to Excavate Temp Bridge Approaches
Oct 2023 Temp Road with New Road Visible
Oct 2023 New Road Surface Next to Capped Island Walls
Oct 2023 Loading Rip Rap on Barges
Oct 2023 Securing King Pile Sheets
Oct 2023 Installing Drainage System
Oct 2023 Placing Armor Stone
Sept 2023 Driving King Pile into Place
Sept 2023 Moving Marine Mattress to Staging Area
Sept 2023 Hand Tying Matresses Shut
Sept 2023 Filling Marine Mattresses
Sept 2023 Finishing Island Wall Caps
Sept 2023 Extruding Concrete into Island Wall Cap Frames
Sept 2023 Retaining Wall in Place against the Bridge
Sept 2023 Armor Stone Delivery
July 2023 Installing Island Walls
May 2023 Installing Retaining Walls
Temporarily restored Sanibel Causeway
Sanibel Causeway - post Hurricane Ian
Sanibel Causeway - post Hurricane Ian
Sanibel Causeway - post Hurricane Ian
Sanibel Causeway - post Hurricane Ian
Sanibel Causeway - post Hurricane Ian