3 . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁cause way , ▁San ib el ▁Island ▁experienced ▁major ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁leading ▁to ▁San ib el ' s ▁incorpor ation ▁into ▁Lee ▁County ' s ▁third ▁city , ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁November ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Form er ▁con gress man ▁and ▁C IA ▁director ▁Por ter ▁G oss ▁served ▁as ▁San ib el ' s ▁first ▁mayor . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁original ▁brid ges ▁began ▁showing ▁signs ▁of ▁rapid ▁d eter ior ation ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁bay ' s ▁salt ▁water , ▁prompt ing ▁the ▁county ▁made ▁to ▁make ▁major ▁rep airs . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Lee ▁County ▁briefly ▁proposed ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁replacing ▁the ▁brid ges ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁four - lane ▁high - span ▁bridge . ▁ ▁This ▁idea ▁was ▁abandoned ▁due ▁to ▁opposition ▁from ▁island ▁residents . ▁ ▁Further ▁rep airs ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁as ▁rapid ▁d eter ior ation ▁from ▁overall ▁lack ▁of ▁maintenance ▁and ▁salt ▁water ▁cor ros ion ▁continued . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁county ▁made ▁plans ▁to ▁replace ▁Br id ges ▁B ▁and ▁C , ▁and ▁make ▁major ▁rep airs ▁to ▁Bridge ▁A ▁( the ▁draw bridge ). ▁▁▁▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁during ▁a ▁routine ▁ins pection , ▁severe ▁cra cks ▁were ▁discovered ▁under ne ath ▁a ▁