New Fort Myers Beach Roundabout Cuts Rush Hour Traffic Time From Hours to Minutes

A new roundabout opened at Matanzas Pass Bridge on March 24, 2025. The improvement reduced wait times from an exhausting two hours to just 11 minutes for drivers heading to the beach.

The Florida Department of Transportation plans to add more turn lanes and new traffic lights by fall 2025. They're using smart technology, including microwave sensors, to monitor traffic and automatically adjust light timing.

Locals are happy about the progress so far. "It's definitely traffic flowing much better," Peter Ganser, a driver with a golf cart taxi service on Fort Myers Beach, said to Fox 4 News. "They still need to complete some more, but since they opened it up, there's still traffic congestion, but at least you're moving."

Some turn lanes will remain closed until construction finishes later this year. These improvements are part of a larger plan to modernize intersections throughout the beach area.