In September 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida and severed the Sanibel Causeway in five places, eliminating all vehicle access to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Residents and business owners could not reach their own properties, and first responders could only be transported by helicopter to deliver emergency supplies. In the aftermath of the storm, the Sanibel Causeway desperately needed to be restored for daily life to resume. Florida DOT’s $64 million project in Lee County quickly repaired the causeway, allowing people to get back home and saving the local economy by reinstating access to shops and restaurants. The emergency restoration to the Sanibel Causeway brought a level of normalcy back to local residents after the horrific storm that upended their lives.
America's Transportation Awards 