Lee County Commissioners recently approved $25 million in federal funds for the Fort Myers Beach drawbridge replacement project.

The new, fixed-span bridge will have a vertical clearance of 60 feet, dwarfing the current, 23-foot-high drawbridge. Being such a popular fishing spot, the added height of the new bridge has some anglers concerned. For that reason, the county is expecting to bid out the installation of a roughly $1 million fishing pier under the new bridge.

The 1965 drawbridge will be open for traffic until the new bridge is completed on the Gulf side of the current bridge. The new 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.

Construction is set to begin sometime this year, with completion expected within 2-3 years. Total construction costs are estimated at $80.2 million. The new bridge would cost around $40 million to maintain over a 20-year period, with a total life expectancy of around 75 years.

More information can be found at https://bigcarlosbridgeproject.com/

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