Big Carlos Pass Bridge nighttime closures to impact drivers

The Big Carlos Pass Bridge is undergoing temporary closures as crews work on completing the new bridge.

The closures are scheduled for Tuesday and Friday, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and will last about 30 minutes each. This is to allow crews to set the final bridge beams.

Once these beams are set, Span One of the bridge, closest to Estero Island, will be finished. This construction is part of a project to replace the existing drawbridge over Big Carlos Pass with a new fixed-span bridge.

The new bridge, which connects Fort Myers Beach at Estrellita Drive to the Lovers Key State Park bayside entrance on Lovers Key, is a significant infrastructure project that has been years in the making. 

Sam Lurie, a Fort Myers Beach resident, said, "It's great to have it open. It's an awesome bridge. It's going to have nice bike lanes, good walking lanes, and even has observation areas on different parts of the bridge, so you don't have to stand in traffic to get pictures and watch the dolphins."

Colleen Weiglein, another local resident, said, "We are very excited. It turned out to be beautiful. There's a lot of meaning and a lot of worry that it wasn't going to add to the island, and we're very excited."

The bridge will feature one travel lane in each direction, bicycle lanes, a six-foot sidewalk on the north side of Estero Boulevard, and a ten-foot-wide shared-use path along the south side.

During the closures, Lee County Department of Transportation is advising drivers to find alternate routes, expect delays, and avoid the area if possible.

The entire project is expected to be completed by this summer, marking three years of work since it began in the summer of 2023.