The History of the Cape Coral Bridge

By Brenton Miebach, REALTOR® | Updated October 5, 2026

The Cape Coral Bridge opened on March 14, 1964. It was the first direct road link between Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Property owners voted 174 to 124 in 1961 to create a district to pay for it, and drivers paid a 25-cent toll to cross. This page is part of our history of Cape Coral.

Why Cape Coral needed a bridge

Cape Coral sits on the south side of the Caloosahatchee River, and Fort Myers sits on the north side. Lee County calls the bridge “the sole direct link” between the two. The book Lies That Came True says the company paid for a $6,000 survey before the vote.

The petition and the vote

According to the Cape Coral Breeze, Cape Coral property owners voted 174 to 124 in 1961 to create the Cape Coral Roads and Bridge District. The district could issue bonds to build the bridge. The Breeze also says the Rosen brothers put up $100,000 as a tax guarantee. The book adds that a petition with 154 signatures started the process in October 1961. The Rosens ran the company that founded the city, so read who founded Cape Coral for the background.

Building the bridge, by the numbers

Sources do not always agree on the details. Where they differ, we show both.

What	What we know	Source
Groundbreaking	December 21, 1962	Cape Coral Breeze
Opening	March 14, 1964, at 1:30 p.m.	Cape Coral Breeze
Length	About 3,400 feet. The book says 3,407 feet. The Breeze says one mile.	Book and Breeze
Height and boat clearance	55 feet above mean high tide, with a 90-foot boat clearance	The book
Lanes	Two lanes at first	Cape Coral Breeze
Cost	Sources give from $1.5 million to $2.2 million. The Breeze says about $2 million.	Book and Breeze
Paid for by	Bonds, repaid with tolls	Cape Coral Breeze
Toll	25 cents	Lee County and the Breeze
Chief engineer	Tom Weber	Book and Breeze

Photo: The Cape Coral Bridge and the Caloosahatchee shoreline in August 1964, five months after the bridge opened. Restored and colorized from Lies That Came True by Eileen Bernard. Colors are added digitally.

The Breeze says the groundbreaking crowd included Miss Cape Coral Roberta Blackwell, engineer Tom Weber, GAC vice president Connie Mack Jr. and Lee County Commissioner Mack Jones.

The first day across

The bridge opened to traffic at 1:30 p.m. on March 14, 1964. Crossing was free until 6 p.m. that day, then the 25-cent toll began. The book says a Mayflower moving van was among the first vehicles across. The Breeze says half a million vehicles had crossed by November 1964.

What happened to the toll and the bridge

The bond was paid off and the toll ended. The Breeze says the last day was November 30, 1974. Lee County says the toll was removed in 1975. Because they differ by about a year, we give both.

A second span opened on the south side in fall 1989, which made the crossing four lanes. Lee County says the toll came back at 75 cents to pay for the new span, and rose to $1.00 in November 1993. As of October 2026, a bridge replacement project is under way. See the Cape Coral Bridge Project FAQ for current plans. For a wider look at the city, see our Cape Coral area guide.

Cape Coral Bridge FAQ

When did the Cape Coral Bridge open?

The bridge opened on March 14, 1964, at 1:30 p.m. Crossing was free until 6 p.m. that day.

How long is the Cape Coral Bridge?

The book gives 3,407 feet, which is about 3,400 feet. The Cape Coral Breeze describes it as one mile.

How much was the toll on the Cape Coral Bridge?

The first toll was 25 cents. It ended in 1974 or 1975, depending on the source. The toll came back at 75 cents with the second span in 1989 and rose to $1.00 in November 1993.

Who paid for the Cape Coral Bridge?

Bonds issued by the Cape Coral Roads and Bridge District paid for it, and tolls repaid them. The Breeze says the Rosen brothers put up $100,000 as a tax guarantee.

How high is the Cape Coral Bridge for boats?

The book gives 55 feet above mean high tide and a 90-foot boat clearance.

How much did the Cape Coral Bridge cost?

Sources differ. They give figures from $1.5 million to $2.2 million. The Cape Coral Breeze says about $2 million.

Sources

• Cape Coral Breeze, History of Cape Coral Bridge goes back to 1961
• Lee County Department of Transportation, Cape Coral Bridge toll facility history
• Wikipedia, Cape Coral Bridge
• Cape Coral Bridge Project, FAQ
• Eileen Bernard, Lies That Came True (book)

Eileen Bernard worked in Gulf American’s publicity department, so her book is an insider’s account of Cape Coral’s early years. We use it alongside the other sources listed here.