RSW and I-75 now connected by an overpass

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Starting Friday, major changes for those heading to Southwest Florida International Airport. Now, you can jump right onto the direct connect roadway, connecting I-75 to the airport.

“I thought it was very easy. Well marked. Easy to get here,” said R.C. Landerfelt.

Two and a half years and $54 million later, the direct connect between I-75 and the Southwest Florida International Airport is open.

“It’s a win, win for everybody,” said Landerfelt.

Airport Employee R.C. Landerfelt says, the direct connect cut down on the time it took him to get to work this morning. Instead of mixing in with the local traffic on busy streets, the overpass allowed him a straight shot to work.

“I thought it was great, it was like a third of the time it normally takes to get here.”

But, for one driver we caught up with, his first time on the direct connect was a little confusing because of the thick fog.

“We thought we were lost at first. We thought we had to go down the freeway, but as we traveled further, we discovered we were in the right spot,” said Mark Weston.

The pass is expected to ease traffic at Treeline Avenue, Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and going in and out of the airport.

“Instead of going down beside the airport and coming right in, it’s like your heading right towards it, if we could have seen it in the fog it would have been great.”

WINK News is told about 15,000 vehicles will use the direct connect daily.