The City of Sanibel is taking a closer look at how fast drivers are really traveling on our island’s busiest thoroughfares. In a city-funded initiative, the City Council is reviewing data from a comprehensive Roadway Speed Study performed by Johnson Engineering with support from city staff.
The goal of the study is to analyze existing conditions—including city-wide speed limit signage and passing zones—to determine if current speed limits need adjustment in select locations.
How the Data Was Collected To get an accurate picture of traffic behavior, the study utilized a 24-hour monitoring period over 20 consecutive days (from November 19, 2025, to December 9, 2025). Sensors collected data at six specific locations: four along Sanibel-Captiva Road, one on East Periwinkle Way, and one on Rabbit Road.
Preliminary Highlights: What the Numbers Say The draft report offers a fascinating glimpse into driver behavior. While the majority of drivers appear to be adhering to general flow, there are notable outliers, particularly on Sanibel-Captiva Road.
-
Sanibel-Captiva Road (East of Pine Ave):
-
Most drivers (37,908) maintained speeds of 30-35 mph.
-
However, 21 vehicles were clocked driving over 60 mph.
-
-
Sanibel-Captiva Road (West of Buckthorn Lane):
-
The bulk of traffic (43,036) traveled at 40-45 mph.
-
Concern lies in the higher speeds: 1,924 cars were recorded going over 55 mph, with 20 of those exceeding 70 mph.
-
-
Sanibel-Captiva Road (East of Gulf Pines):
-
The majority (61,519) traveled at 35-40 mph.
-
39 cars were recorded driving over 70 mph.
-
-
Sanibel-Captiva Road (East of Rabbit Road):
-
Most traffic (66,252) stayed within the 35-40 mph range.
-
351 cars were clocked over 60 mph, with 59 exceeding 70 mph.
-
-
East Periwinkle Way & Rabbit Road:
-
Speeds were generally lower here. On East Periwinkle, most drivers stayed between 30-35 mph, while Rabbit Road saw the majority at 35-40 mph.
-
Extreme speeding was less frequent but still present, with roughly 18-29 cars exceeding 50 mph at these locations.
-
What’s Next? A full draft report from city staff and Johnson Engineering will be forthcoming soon. In addition to speed limits, the final report will also address the safety and placement of passing lanes along Sanibel-Captiva Road.
