A major road construction project on Fort Myers Beach, originally projected to take up to 12 years, could have a few years shaved off that timeline. On Tuesday, Lee County Commissioners approved $5 million to move ahead with designs for later stages of the project.
The project, which is already underway, is a re-construction of Estero Boulevard, the main drag on Fort Myers Beach. The improvements will feature new water lines, lighting, lighting and landscaping.
The funding was originally budgeted to be used a few years later in the process, but approving the money sooner means that designing can begin on construction segments on the south end of the island. The Florida Department of Transportation hopes the county funding approval will speed up the overall process, possibly cutting 5 years off the project.
"We've just got to live through it," said resident Forrest Crister. "We can all manage and work together on the beach for progress."
Money is still needed for the actual construction.
A Lee County spokewoman said that the design for the later phases of construction is expected to take six to eight months.
