Cape Coral Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Cape Coral Bridge is a bridge located in Southwest Florida
. It spans the Caloosahatchee River
connecting Fort Myers
and Cape Coral
. It is made up of two parallel fixed spans, each 3400 feet (1,036.3 m) long.
Around 1958, even before the bridge's construction, people had been living in the southern tip of Cape Coral
. These people had to travel all the way into North Fort Myers
to cross the Caloosahatchee River
into Fort Myers
, which was roughly 20 miles (32.2 km). This was the main justification for the construction of a bridge traveling directly between Cape Coral and Fort Myers. In 1959, engineers determined one possible location for the bridge would be to connect Everest Parkway and Colonial Boulevard (which is the site of the present-day Midpoint Memorial Bridge
). However, due to construction costs and the additional length needed for this location, the site was moved downstream to where it is today, connecting College Parkway and Cape Coral Parkway.
The original span opened for traffic on March 14, 1964, with one lane in each direction. In 1989, a second parallel span opened south of the first span, with two lanes for eastbound traffic, and westbound traffic using both lanes on the original span. In conjunction with the new eastbound span, a four lane overpass was constructed over the intersection of State Road 867
(McGregor Boulevard) just east of the bridge.
The Cape Coral Bridge was the only link between Fort Myers
and Cape Coral
until 1997, when the Midpoint Memorial Bridge
opened just north of the Cape Coral Bridge on the Caloosahatchee River.
The bridge is owned by the Lee County Department of Transportation. There is currently a two dollar toll in effect for westbound vehicles only, and there is no tolls for eastbound traffic. Florida's statewide "Sunpass
" prepaid electronic toll collection
system is accepted on the Cape Coral Bridge, along with Lee County's "Leeway" prepaid toll system, which is also used on the Midpoint Bridge
, and the Sanibel Causeway
.
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
. It spans the Caloosahatchee River
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...
connecting Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
and Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
. It is made up of two parallel fixed spans, each 3400 feet (1,036.3 m) long.
Around 1958, even before the bridge's construction, people had been living in the southern tip of Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
. These people had to travel all the way into North Fort Myers
North Fort Myers, Florida
North Fort Myers is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 40,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to cross the Caloosahatchee River
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...
into Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
, which was roughly 20 miles (32.2 km). This was the main justification for the construction of a bridge traveling directly between Cape Coral and Fort Myers. In 1959, engineers determined one possible location for the bridge would be to connect Everest Parkway and Colonial Boulevard (which is the site of the present-day Midpoint Memorial Bridge
Midpoint Memorial Bridge
The Midpoint Memorial Bridge is a bridge located in Southwest Florida. It spans the Caloosahatchee River, connecting Fort Myers and Cape Coral. It is a four-lane fixed span one and one-quarter mile long...
). However, due to construction costs and the additional length needed for this location, the site was moved downstream to where it is today, connecting College Parkway and Cape Coral Parkway.
Florida State Road 867
State Road 867 and Lee County Road 867 together create a roadway in Lee County, Florida, connecting Punta Rassa and Fort Myers, Florida. The entire stretch used to be a State Road, but the southernmost have been redesignated County Road 867...
(McGregor Boulevard) just east of the bridge.
The Cape Coral Bridge was the only link between Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
and Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
until 1997, when the Midpoint Memorial Bridge
Midpoint Memorial Bridge
The Midpoint Memorial Bridge is a bridge located in Southwest Florida. It spans the Caloosahatchee River, connecting Fort Myers and Cape Coral. It is a four-lane fixed span one and one-quarter mile long...
opened just north of the Cape Coral Bridge on the Caloosahatchee River.
The bridge is owned by the Lee County Department of Transportation. There is currently a two dollar toll in effect for westbound vehicles only, and there is no tolls for eastbound traffic. Florida's statewide "Sunpass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
" prepaid electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
system is accepted on the Cape Coral Bridge, along with Lee County's "Leeway" prepaid toll system, which is also used on the Midpoint Bridge
Midpoint Memorial Bridge
The Midpoint Memorial Bridge is a bridge located in Southwest Florida. It spans the Caloosahatchee River, connecting Fort Myers and Cape Coral. It is a four-lane fixed span one and one-quarter mile long...
, and the Sanibel Causeway
Sanibel Causeway
The Sanibel Causeway is a causeway in Southwest Florida that spans the San Carlos Bay, connecting Sanibel Island with the Florida mainland in South Fort Myers. The causeway consists of three separate two-lane bridge spans, and two man-made causeway islands, which are located between each of the...
.