Fort Myers Beach will remain toll-free

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Bryanna Sterzenbach
Published: Updated:

After more research, town council member Karen Woodson revealed imposing tolls on Fort Myers Beach bridges is not a possibility.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the town council was supposed to discuss more information on the suggestion of adding tolls to Matanzas Pass Bridge and Big Carlos Pass Bridge.

The idea was first brought up by council member Karen Woodson at a meeting about a month ago.

She said it could help with monitoring traffic and lowering cut-through traffic.

But after doing some more research and discussing the matter with Lee County, Woodson said the town has no ability to impose tolls on the Matanzas Bridge because they are not replacing it or adding a new one.

On the other hand, while the Big Carlos Pass Bridge is currently under construction, Woodson said the discussion to implement tolls would have had to happen before applying for or getting federal money and building the bridge.

“This is why you bring things up like this. It’s talked about casually, and everyone wants to know why or why not,” said Councilperson Woodson at Wednesday’s management and planning session. “And as we did our due diligence, we found out there is absolutely no way this is going to happen now or anytime in the near future.”

Which is good news to people out on Fort Myers Beach.

“For me coming from Cape Coral to go home, I have to pay a toll,” said Nikki, who frequently visits Fort Myers Beach. “So to come on here and pay a toll… this is the only free beach because on Sanibel you have to pay!”

Residents, local visitors and vacationers WINK News spoke to all agree: no tolls is the way to go if you want to keep business up on the island.

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