By: Amanda Cochran | Special to East Lee County News
When people think of “old Florida” in Southwest Florida, small historic cow towns like Alva, Fort Denaud, and LaBelle often come to mind. These communities sit near the point where four counties—Hendry, Glades, Lee, and Charlotte—meet at what is known as the “quad-point.” For now, these areas remain among the most rural and sparsely developed in the region.
Two historic bridges serve residents of this quad-point area within Lee County: the Alva Bridge that runs along Broadway in the heart of downtown Alva and the Wilson Pigott Bridge that crosses the Caloosahatchee on State Road 31.
The original Alva Swing Bridge, built in 1903, was the first permanent bridge in Alva and, for a time, provided the closest river crossing to Fort Myers. It was eventually replaced by the current two-lane Alva bascule bridge, which opened in 1969. Now 56 years old, the bridge remains under restricted use, with both speed and weight limits carefully monitored.
The most heavily traveled bridge in the area, however, is the two-lane Wilson Pigott Drawbridge.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT):
“The Wilson Pigott Bridge was constructed in 1960 with a 50-year service life. Major renovations were completed for the bridge since it was built. The bridge has a low-sufficiency rating, which is a rating of a bridge’s fitness to remain in service. The bridge also experiences frequent mechanical malfunctions, leaving the bascule span in the up position, which disrupts traffic flow and circulation in the area. The bridge also has sub-standard design elements. Among other things, the bridge has narrow travel lanes and shoulders and does not adequately accommodate non-vehicular travelers such as pedestrians and bicyclists. The bridge does not meet current U.S. Coast Guard standards for horizontal clearance. Movable bridges present maintenance costs.”
Does anyone remember the 1969 song by Paul Simon, *Bridge Over Troubled Water*? Today, the Wilson Pigott Bridge feels more like a “Troubled Bridge Over Muddy Waters.”
Within the past two weeks, September 9, 2025, and again on September 15, 2025, the Wilson Pigott Bridge was forced to close unexpectedly so crews could repair a “temporary” repair of a metal plate that had been holding up the damaged steel grate system supporting the drawbridge. These unexpected closures caused hours of traffic backups, leaving residents frustrated and stranded. More closings are planned in the near future for additional repairs. It should be noted that this bridge is a vital evacuation route, and sudden and frequent closings raise urgent concerns about critically delayed response times for emergency medical services.
Residents have also argued that stricter weight restrictions should be implemented immediately to reduce stress on the bridge and avoid further last-minute emergency repairs. Meanwhile, FDOT officials acknowledge the bridge’s failing condition but note that replacement funding is still in process. Current plans project that work will not begin until 2029, with construction expected to take four to five years.
But the 65-year-old failing bridge is really just a symptom of a much larger problem.
In recent years, multiple applications and hearings in Lee and neighboring counties have sought to rezone agricultural land for both high-density development and intensive mining. If approved, these rezonings will generate thousands of daily trips—not only from thousands of new residents but also from hundreds of fully loaded industrial trucks. All of this future traffic will join the current traffic and funnel onto the already congested two-lane CR 78, then onto SR 31, and ultimately across the failing two-lane Wilson Pigott Bridge.
The consequences for Northeast Lee County are profound. The surrounding road system infrastructure, including the 65-year-old Wilson Pigott Bridge, is grossly inadequate to handle such demands.
For years, concerned residents of Northeast Lee County have united to present credible, well-reasoned arguments at every public hearing on proposed land-use changes in Alva, urging county leaders to act with responsibility. The specific concerns of the public have been clear and consistent: longer emergency evacuation times that endanger lives, inadequate emergency services to support large-scale growth, increased flood risks with devastating consequences, and above all, direct threats to public safety.
Yet, time and again, the Lee County Commissioners have brushed these concerns aside, insisting that road system planning falls solely under the authority of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). However, when asked about the timeline for the funding and construction of SR 31 improvements at Bayshore Road, Patricia Pichette of the FDOT Communications Department explained otherwise:
“In Florida, decisions about which roads are improved or built often start at the local level—with cities and counties identifying what their communities need most. These local governments work with residents, planners, and engineers to figure out which intersections, highways, or bridges need attention. Once they’ve set their priorities, they share those ideas with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). FDOT then looks at all requests from across the state and compares them to available funding . . . .”
If FDOT relies on counties to set priorities, then the real question becomes: what priorities has Lee County actually submitted? Commissioners continue to deflect blame onto the state, yet FDOT’s own process makes clear that it is local governments who start the conversation.
Furthermore, rather than standing up for their constituents, Commissioners insist their hands are tied by “the law.” Too often, they invoke fear of litigation under the Bert Harris Act as justification for approving irresponsible growth, while disregarding the long-term safety and well-being of residents. The Bert Harris Act was designed to protect property owners from government overreach, not facilitate “upzoning” for influential out-of-town developers seeking increased density, intensity, and profits.
By contrast, commissioners in neighboring counties (Hendry, Sarasota) have recently demonstrated the courage to reject projects when they were incompatible with responsible growth.
Recently, members of the Northeast Lee County community have filed a legal challenge against the county’s most recent decision in Alva to allow upzoning that directly endangers residents. At the heart of the challenge is one simple but urgent concern: life safety, life safety, life safety. Despite raising this message repeatedly, residents have been ignored.
Growth should never come at the expense of public health, safety, or welfare. That principle is the first and most important responsibility of any government and should be at the center of every decision the County Commission makes.
The Northeast Lee County community is not opposed to development. The residents support sensible, responsible growth—but only when it is paired with the necessary infrastructure to ensure safety and quality of life. What we need are leaders willing to stand up for their constituents, prioritize infrastructure, and put life safety ahead of unchecked development. Northeast Lee County deserves better.
