Updated 7.28.23 Lee County officials recently broke ground on the new, 60-foot high Big Carlos Pass Bridge. The Construction Plans begin around Lover’s Key State Park and end at the south end of Fort Myers Beach, with brand new bridges being installed at both Little & Big Carlos Passes.

The new fixed-span Big Carlos Pass bridge will be 37 feet taller than the current, 23-foot-tall draw bridge. The plans also include a 14-foot-wide fishing pier that will extend 300 feet over the water on the south side of the bridge.

The bridge will feature a 6-foot wide sidewalk along the bay side, a 10-foot wide shared-use path along the Gulf side, bike lanes, and 1 car lane in each direction.

Once the new bridge and roadways are completed in 2026, the old bridges will be demolished and used to create new offshore reefs.

In 2012, Lee County commissioners began discussions of what to do with the Big Carlos Pass draw bridge. Being that the current bridge is nearing the end of its lifespan, it is in almost constant need of maintenance and repairs.

Originally, there were 3 options: renovate the current bridge, construct a new draw bridge or construct a new fixed-span bridge. Due to cost and predicted lifespan, renovating the current bridge was quickly eliminated from the debate. With 2 options remaining, commissioners began looking at the costs associated with both.

Construction of a new draw bridge is expected to cost $60.7 million. Maintenance and operation of this bridge over its expected 75 year lifespan would be roughly $13.7 million. Construction of a new fixed-span bridge, however, is only expected to cost $48.1 million. This bridge would have a much longer lifespan, and maintenance would be just $4.6 million.

With all of the costs laid out, 4 of 5 Lee County commissioners voted in favor of the taller, fixed-span bridge.

Construction of the new bridge is expected to begin in 2021. The bridge is also expected to have a lower-level fishing pier incorporated into the design.