of the lawsuits delayed construction, and were eventually dismissed. On August 13, 2004, the area was struck by Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 hurricane. The causeway received only minor damage and was very carefully inspected before Sanibel residents were permitted to return to the island. Construction of the current bridges commenced in May 2004. The three-dollar toll was increased to six dollars in November 2004 to finance construction. Construction on the current spans lasted three years, and cost $137 million. An official grand-opening ceremony for the current bridges was held on September 8, 2007, which was the day the current Bridge C opened (even though the current Bridges A and B opened prior to September 8). The original bridges were later demolished, and their remains were sunk into the water to create a number of artificial reefs in the San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. In March 2020, all of Lee County-owned toll bridges were temporarily transitioned to All-Electronic Tolling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This change was made permanent on June 23, 2021. The $3 administrative fee for vehicles without transponders was suspended during the pandemic and was reinstated on October 1. The motorcycle discount plans were removed as part of the plan for a permanent transition to All-Electronic Tolling. On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian partially destroyed the causeway, and the mainland approach was heavily damaged. Both the islands of Sanibel and Captiva were cut off from the mainland United States by road. No deaths or injuries were confirmed by the Lee County Sheriff's Office. After undergoing emergency repairs, the causeway reopened to trucks on October 11, and reopened to all vehicular traffic on October 20. The bridges Bridge A Bridge A is the bridge closest to the mainland at Punta Rassa. Bridge A is tall and stands as the tallest bridge in Lee County. The bridge previously holding this record was the nearby Matanzas Pass Bridge, which is tall. The original Bridge A was a high drawbridge. The current Bridge A finally opened for traffic on June 28, 2007, along with the current toll plaza. The Sanibel-Captiva Optimists Club had held a raffle for the opportunity to be the operator of the drawbridge's machinery for its final opening. A private ceremony was held the day after the current bridge opened to commemorate the drawbridge's final opening. Seasonal Sanibel residents Bob and Ana Finks won the