Crews will begin to shift traffic to the newly constructed, fixed-span Big Carlos Pass Bridge beginning at 11 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, through 6 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14.
Motorists will begin driving on the new bridge in the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 14. Once the traffic is shifted, the LeeTran trolley stops on the east side of the bridge will open for service.
It’s important for the public – especially bicyclists and pedestrians – to be aware this remains an active construction zone. Although there will be a narrow sidewalk on the new span, it will not be in its final condition, as work is still progressing on the bridge.
Travel lanes will be shifted on the west end of the bridge near Fort Myers Beach as crews finalize work on this span. The navigational channel will shift to the east as this work is completed later this year. The vertical navigation clearance of the new channel is 60 feet.
This work is a part of Lee County’s project to construct a new bridge over Big Carlos Pass, from Estrellita Drive on Fort Myers Beach to the Lovers Key State Park bayside entrance on Lovers Key. When completed, the new bridge will include one travel lane in each direction, bicycle lanes, a 6-foot-wide sidewalk along the north side of Estero Boulevard, and a 10-foot-wide shared use path along the south side of Estero Boulevard, with a substantial barrier between vehicles and pedestrians.
Once the project is completed, parking will be available on the southeast side of the bridge. Lee County Parks & Recreation plans a parking area with bathrooms on the southeast side of the bridge to be added at a later date.
The project began in Summer 2023 with estimated completion in Summer 2026. Prior to completion, the existing bridge will be dismantled and used for an artificial reef. The project cost is about $90.8 million. The contractor is Superior Construction.
For more information about the project, visit the project website at https://bigcarlosbridgeproject.com/.
For more information about the Lee County Department of Transportation, visit www.leegov.com/dot.
