SANIBEL, Fla. — For the first time since Hurricane Ian's impacts were felt across the southwest Florida region, Sanibel Island reopened to the public on Monday.
The storm initially washed away parts of the city's causeway, but a temporary fix was created for repair crews and neighbors.
People will no longer need a special pass to head out to the area as businesses are once again open.
City of Sanibel officials said any increased traffic on the island would not interrupt the Florida Department of Transportation’s causeway construction progress, WINK reports.
The tolls for the causeway are also back in place and Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith said beaches in the area remain closed as they are not yet safe for the public.
“I can tell you we’ve had a lot of input in many different ways. And we’ve really had to weigh everything,” Smith told WINK.
There is also a curfew in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day that includes a checkpoint at the Sanibel Causeway during those hours, WFTX reports. City officials also installed a fence to keep people out as the island continues to rebuild.