Caloosahatchee bridge: Timeline, traffic and 4th of July impact

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, construction on the Caloosahatchee River Bridge continues to progress ahead of schedule.

According to the latest update from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the work accomplished over the past four weeks has advanced the project by 212 days.

FDOT says crews have demolished and replaced the median bridge deck, installed new traffic rail rebar and installed northbound guardrail posts.

Most concrete pours are also complete.

The bridge is scheduled to reopen on Aug. 11. After this date, the bridge will open with nighttime and daytime lane closures, as necessary, according to FDOT.

The entire project is expected to be completed by December of this year or early next year.

Fourth of July celebrations and traffic

Lisa Sbuttoni, CEO and President of the River District Alliance spoke with WINK News about the various events planned, including entertainment and fireworks displays. 

Despite the bridge closure, Lisa does not expect it to significantly impact attendance. The fireworks will be launched from Lofton Island, offering visibility from multiple locations in the city.

“No, I do not expect that the bridge closure will impact how many people come down and how many people want to. It’s a holiday, so people will plan accordingly,” said Sbuttoni.

Fort Myers resident Andrew Thompson also shared his plans to celebrate the Fourth of July with family downtown.

“I think they’ll definitely be a lot of traffic,” said Thompson.

Despite concerns about potential traffic delays due to the bridge closure, Andrew is determined to enjoy the holiday festivities with loved ones.

Fireworks launch from Lofton Island at 9:45 p.m.

You can find events happening in downtown Fort Myers, here.