While Hurricane Irma hasn’t officially landed in Florida just yet, her unpredictability generates concern and the fuel scarcity reflects it.
As Hurricane Irma inches toward Florida, residents prepare for the worst by stocking up on supplies and heeding evacuation orders.
With evacuation orders in effect in Monroe County and Miami-Dade Counties, mass evacuations are expected to lead to gridlock for miles.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, drivers took an estimated one hour to get from Interstate 275 in Tampa to Interstate 4.
The mass exodus has triggered fuel shortages across the state, and heavy traffic has called for travel advisories in places like Hillsborough, Palm Beach and Okeechobee county.
Florida governor Rick Scott addressed gasoline shortages in a media briefing early Wednesday and said he spoke to governors in South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama to retract trucking regulations to facilitate gasoline shipments.
While it is uncertain when gasoline shipments will arrive, there are ways to stay informed and make the travel process run a little smoother.
The GasBuddy app allows users to locate nearby gas stations, view prices and allows users to see which stations have gas due to shortages.
Similar apps, like the Geico app, help users find the most affordable stations in relation to proximity, and the Speedpass+ app allows users to find the nearest Exxon and Mobil stations.
Buying fuel jugs is also an option, and filling them up with extra gas is one way to avoid panic with the gas shortages.
Here are a few places in the Fort Myers area that still have gas available:
Costco
7171 Cypress Lake Dr. & Alico Rd
Fort Myers, FL
- REG GAS: $2.59
- PREMIUM: $2.79
7-Eleven
9990 Interstate Commerce Rd & I-75
Fort Myers, FL 33193
- REG GAS: $2.69
- PREMIUM: N/A
RaceTrac
16271 Lee Rd. & Alico Rd
Fort Myers. FL 33912
RaceTrac (Near Treeline Avenue)
13631 Goldenwood Dr.
Fort Myers, FL 33912
- REG GAS: $2.69
- PREMIUM: $3.19
7-Eleven
15261 Convenience Way & Summerlin Rd.
Fort Myers, FL 33908
- REG GAS: $2.69
- PREMIUM: $3.19
Wawa
12701 S Cleveland Ave & Woodland Blvd
Fort Myers, FL 33907
- REG GAS: $2.69
- PREMIUM: $3.20
Speedway
11999 S Cleveland Ave & Trailwinds Dr
Fort Myers, FL 33907
- REG GAS: $2.69
- PREMIUM: $309
