SWFL Newcomer Guide
Tolls, bridges & driving
Three tolled crossings, two transponder systems, one interstate and a traffic pattern that doubles every January. What to set up in your first week.
Transponders
Set this up before your first bridge crossing
SunPass
Florida's statewide transponder. Works on the Turnpike, Alligator Alley (I-75 across the Everglades), Tampa-area tolls and the Lee County bridges. The portable sticker version is inexpensive; the mini sticker is keyed to one vehicle.
LeeWay
Lee County's own account for the Cape Coral, Midpoint and Sanibel bridges. Worth opening if you cross daily — Lee runs discount and prepaid programs that SunPass alone does not give you.
Without a transponder, cameras bill the registered owner by plate and add an administrative charge to each crossing — on a daily commute that surcharge outruns the toll itself.
Crossings
The bridges that matter
- Cape Coral Bridge (tolled) — the main Cape Coral to Fort Myers link; heaviest weekday morning eastbound.
- Midpoint Memorial Bridge (tolled) — the faster mid-city option between Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
- Sanibel Causeway (tolled) — the only road access to Sanibel and Captiva; rebuilt after Hurricane Ian.
- Caloosahatchee (US-41) and Edison bridges (free) — no toll, which is precisely why they queue in season.
- Marco Island's Jolley Bridge (free) — the S-951 connection from Collier-Seminole down to Marco.
- Alligator Alley, I-75 east of Naples (tolled) — the Everglades crossing to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Traffic
What season does to a 20-minute drive
- US-41 (Tamiami Trail) through Naples and Bonita is the default stop-and-go corridor from January through March.
- I-75 between Bonita Springs and Fort Myers carries the through traffic; locals use Livingston Road and Three Oaks Parkway as parallel routes.
- Airport-Pulling, Goodlette-Frank and Collier Boulevard absorb most north-south Naples traffic when 41 stalls.
- Budget double the off-season drive time for any February appointment, and more for anything near a beach at midday.
- Summer brings near-daily afternoon thunderstorms — visibility drops fast and standing water is common on low-lying roads.
- Wildlife on the road is real east of I-75 and in the Estero/Corkscrew corridor, particularly at dawn and dusk.
Shipping
The transponder mistake that costs shippers money
This is the single most common avoidable charge we see after a vehicle is delivered.
- Remove the transponder from the windshield, or seal it in its foil shielding bag, before the carrier loads.
- A mounted transponder reads from an open carrier deck and bills your account for every gantry the truck passes.
- Enterprise Auto Transport is not responsible for tolls incurred during transport — every checklist we publish says so.
- Photograph the dash and windshield at pickup so there is no dispute about what was mounted.
- Re-mount it after delivery and confirm your account address is updated to the Florida one.
Toll amounts and bridge programs change. Last human review of this page: 2026-08-29. Confirm rates with SunPass or the Lee County LeeWay program.
FAQ
Driving and toll questions
Do I need SunPass in Southwest Florida?
What is the difference between SunPass and LeeWay?
Which SWFL bridges are tolled?
Should I remove my toll transponder before shipping a car?
Shipping a car into Southwest Florida?
Naples-based and owner-operated. We know which bridges a 75-foot rig can use and where to stage when it cannot.