New Sanibel traffic survey findings released

A new survey is providing a better idea of how difficult it is to get on and off of Sanibel.

Here on WINK News, we have told you how traffic can sometimes challenge drivers who live on or visit Sanibel.

At the same time, the city told us it is working on a plan to ease some of the traffic woes.

The first step in the plan was getting a survey done. Now, the numbers are back.

Peter Dirico knows just how bad traffic in Sanibel can be. He’s lived here since 2011.

“It can be backed up quite aways, all the way up to San-Cap roads. In season and even in the summer, if you have an accident here, forget about it. You’re not getting off the island for hours,” said Dirico.

The City of Sanibel has heard similar complaints from other residents, so they put out a survey asking questions about Causeway Boulevard and Periwinkle Way.

“They’re going to come up with some conceptual plan for that intersection, bring that back, and we’ll have more public meetings to share that information, generate more public feedback from that. They will go to planning commission in November, then up to council in December,” said Dirico.

According to the survey, most people say they experience traffic delays daily during both the winter and springtime for about 30 minutes to an hour, especially in the afternoons and evenings.

“An 8 o’clock appointment would be great, but coming home in an hour and half, I’d be on Summerlin somewhere sitting bumper to bumper,” said Dirico. “I try to make my appointments around the traffic, shopping around the traffic and that’s what a lot of us do around here.”

The top priorities for this intersection?

• Decreased wait times
• Safety
• Aaesthetics

“But how do you solve that?” Dirico wondered.

That’s a question a lot of people on Sanibel have.

The public information officer said it is a little ways away until we find out what changes could come to this intersection. Again, the city council is expected to meet in December.