Drivers say closing Edison Bridge for flooding made for a nightmare commute

UPDATE 7:41PM MONDAY, AUGUST 5
FOX 4 received repeated calls to the newsroom about the traffic jams that briefly closing the Edison Bridge over the Caloosahatchee River created around the Fort Myers metro area.

“It’s part of the day where everybody's trying to get home, it was completely unexpected," said Kristin Capuzzi, Public Information Officer at the Fort Myers Police Department. "However, you do have the midpoint bridge, and you do have, I-75 could be a little bit out of the way."

Remember, the Caloosahatchee Bridge is also closed for construction and not anticipated to open one lane each way until August 12. Watch Bella's full report below.

Drivers say closing Edison Bridge for flooding made for a nightmare commute

Monday night, drivers reported commutes doubling or tripling in length and that no one adjusted traffic lights to handle the volume.

"I live in North Fort Myers and I just am just beside myself," said one frustrated driver. "I cannot get home and it's been like this for an hour, up and down the streets one way or the other way. I don't even know where I could get across the river.”

People who live near the intersection also felt that frustration.

"This is like this all the time. The sewers are always plugged. They need another sewer and they worry about parking," said one man who lives at the Relax Inn.

FOX 4's Community Correspondents Anvar Ruziev and Alex Orenczuk were on the scene of the flooding at the bridge Sunday night and even saw cars stall out in the high water, and Anvar and FOX 4's Bella Line were back in the area Monday, both when the bridge closed and opened one lane.

Lanes Closed On Edison Bridge Due To Flooding

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UPDATE: 6:45PM MONDAY AUGUST 5
One lane of the Edison Bridge has re-opened for traffic, after high floodwaters closed down lanes earlier.

UPDATE: 3:00PM MONDAY AUGUST 5

The Fort Myers Police Department has closed all northbound lanes of the Edison Bridge due to flooding at First Street and Park Avenue.

All traffic will be diverted onto Second Street.

See FOX 4'S LIVE report from the bridge at 530pm below:

NB LANES CLOSED EDISON ON MONDAY

All Westbound traffic on Palm Beach Boulevard will be diverted at Seaboard Street.

Drivers are asked to use I-75 or the Midpoint Bridge.