Sanibel has long suffered from traffic congestion, and multiple studies aimed at alleviating it have been conducted over the decades. In June, the City Council approved a proposal from Kimley-Horn to evaluate the feasibility of adding a third travel lane to the Sanibel Causeway, the sole vehicular access to the island.
The proposal was solicited in response to resident requests for a study to determine whether the causeway could support an additional travel lane to improve traffic flow and reduce peak-hour congestion for vehicles exiting Sanibel, City Manager Dana Souza said.
Sanibel experiences heavy westbound traffic in the mornings and heavy eastbound traffic in the afternoons. The congestion has negative impacts on emergency response times and the quality of life on the island…