The Florida Department of Transportation has completed temporary repairs to four damaged and closed bridges that provide access to the south end of Fort Myers Beach.
The now-repaired southern bridges include Big Carlos Pass, Big Hickory, Little Carlos Pass and New Pass.
“This is fantastic news,” said Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy. “It’s a huge step forward in recovery for the Town. Having access to the Island from the south and going to the south is a real game changer. We want to send our heartfelt congratulations to the team members from the state of Florida and Lee County.”
On Tuesday, Oct. 18, access to Fort Myers Beach from the south will be limited to essential response personnel to speed restoration of essential services and infrastructure.
Then Wednesday, Oct. 19, residents and their hired contractors can access the island from the south from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The schedule moving forward will mirror the recently announced plan for the Matanzas Pass Bridge on the Beach’s north end.
This means Mondays and Tuesdays will be reserved for essential response personnel: Debris management (crews from CrowderGulf and Thompson Debris); electric providers, water and sewer utility providers; and transportation crews from Florida DOT and Lee DOT.
Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be for residents and their hired contractors.
The goal is to complete specific infrastructure rebuilding missions on a tight deadline. It is an essential step in bringing back the residential, commercial and tourism hub of Fort Myers Beach. It is designed to make substantial progress on a condensed timeline.
This schedule will continue until further notice.
