Fort Myers Beach road work
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council wants to cut down on pedestrian traffic by limiting the number of crosswalks, while also ending some trolley stops as part of a number of recommendations it is discussing sending to the county and state for an impending road rehabilitation project.
During a workshop Oct. 29, the board informally agreed on the suggestions for the road work which will start on Matanzas Pass Bridge on State Route 865 and work its way down county-owned Estero Boulevard.
Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Roger Hernstadt said he expects the process to take about three months for the county and state to work on the plans before road work begins.
The Public Safety Committee reviewed the county’s plans and recommended pedestrian barriers be constructed as part of the project. Tom Gressman, vice-chairman of the committee, said he didn’t like the county’s plan because it didn’t include bicycle lanes.
The town council supports pedestrian barriers which would prohibit those on the sidewalks from crossing into the street except at intersections. Crosswalks at locations where there are no street lights, would be removed, as part of the plan supported by the town council.
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Anita Cereceda also proposed moving trolley stops away from Times Square and into Crescent Beach Family Park, a move which has the support of the council. The council also backed Cereceda’s recommendation to stop the trolley stop heading north at Seafares Plaza.
Another change backed by the council is to end the trolley-only lane off the bridge by turning it into a multi-use lane.
The town council also opposes the proposal in the rehabilitation project which would make 5th street a one-way road.
Hernstadt said the project would also add another walking lane to Matanzas Pass Bridge.
Herndadt the county and state would have to fund these improvements, so there would need to be approval from both departments of transportation and from the county commissioners.