FORT MYERS, Fla. Traffic is about to become a mess for thousands of Southwest Florida drivers.
Lane closures will begin at 10 p.m. Thursday for work to rebuild a railroad crossing on Colonial Boulevard between Fowler Street and Metro Parkway. Both directions of Colonial will be shut down by 1 a.m., and they could be blocked for as long as two weeks.
“Oh, I’m giving myself 20-30 minutes extra, absolutely,” said Greg Stuart, who commutes from his home in Matlacha to his office on Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard.
Stuart predicts it will create a “massive problem,” but the Florida Department of Transportation has worked to minimize the impact by putting up signs the past few weeks to warn drivers of the impending closure.
Donald Corder, who drives on Colonial about three times a week, took the opportunity to plan ahead.
“I just kinda tested it out this morning on our way in,” he said. “I got off at Daniels, went down Daniels to (U.S.) 41 and then up to the doctor’s office for therapy, and it took me approximately five minutes longer today.”
WINK News Traffic Anchor Therese O’Shea has tips on how to get around the closure:
Detour map
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The shortest detour, shown in green, takes drivers north through Winkler Avenue via Fowler or Metro.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid Colonial altogether if they can, using any alternate route that works best for them.
