The Sanibel Island causeway washed out by Hurricane Ian has reopened

In this aerial photo made in a flight provided by mediccorps.org, damage from Hurricane Ian is seen on the causeway leading to Sanibel Island from Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 30. The causeway has reopened with temporary repairs. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

SANIBEL, Fla. — The causeway washed out by Hurricane Ian that links Sanibel Island to the Florida mainland reopened with temporary repairs on Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced.

The 3-mile causeway was badly damaged by the Category 4 hurricane, with initial predictions that repairs could take months. Instead, the span reopened just three weeks after the storm blew ashore Sept. 28.