US 41 construction finished after 5 years

Cones, construction barriers and signs are no longer visible along U.S. 41, a big relief to drivers who had to get around the lane closures and detours for years.

If you have traveled U.S. 41 from the Edison Mall to downtown Fort Myers, you have likely sat in traffic because of this construction.

WINK News talked to businesses in the area about how it has affected clients.

“The roads were so messed up. A couple of times, I almost got sideswiped because of it,” a driver said.

The $22 million project began in 2018 but faced many delays along the way. One of them was the COVID-19 pandemic.

The completed project widened the lanes, added new traffic signals and improved pedestrian crossings.

However, along the way, this Florida Department of Transportation project impacted drivers and businesses from Winkler Avenue to south of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Businesses like Latino Pack said it was difficult to turn at the traffic lights and even get into some plazas, forcing some drivers to take back roads instead.

Now that it’s done, they can see things flowing much better.

FDOT said a future project will focus on pedestrian safety improvements on the U.S. 41 Caloosahatchee River bridge.