Fort Myers Beach committee discusses e-bike rules, bridge safety and park-and-ride options ahead of busy season

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — The Town of Fort Myers Beach Public Safety Committee on June 17 discussed how to manage motorized personal mobility devices, pedestrian safety on busy sidewalks and traffic access over the bridge as summer activity picks up.

Committee members noted the town has already passed a resolution allowing e-bikes on sidewalks and turned to operational questions: where signs should be posted, how rangers can enforce rules, and which high‑pedestrian locations should require riders to dismount. The committee singled out three crowded locations for special attention — the area in front of Margaritaville, the walkway between Margaritaville and Town Hall, and the Times Square corridor (including the Lani Kai area) — saying those places are likely to remain congested during season.

The group discussed signage and public education as the first line of response. Committee members said signs and pavement markings similar to “walk bikes” zones used elsewhere would be useful, and that town rangers could help educate visitors and enforce rules informally. The committee also noted a practical limit on enforcement: rangers are town representatives but “are not law enforcement” and cannot detain people, though they can ask riders to dismount and educate them or issue administrative citations when authorized.

Traffic and emergency access on and near the bridge were a second major topic. Committee members described continuing concerns about lane markings at the island approach, inconsistent lighting and the need to preserve rapid access for emergency vehicles. Staff said a meeting is scheduled with the project director and a state senator to review striping, lane control and related questions on the bridge. The committee discussed a longer‑term idea to operate Pine Ridge park‑and‑ride with dedicated shuttle service and to consider using the center lane as a dedicated bus lane during peak periods; speakers said that idea requires coordination with FDOT/LDOT and local emergency services so emergency vehicles retain reliable access.

Officials said the town has an interim practice during busy periods: when a major fire or medical call comes out they use rangers and radio coordination to shut down outbound bridge traffic and open lanes to expedite emergency response. Committee members described this as an existing SOP while noting a permanent lane‑use change would need broader agency approvals and training for drivers and transit operators.

Committee members also raised related infrastructure issues: some sidewalk repairs following fiber‑optic or CCTV work have been finished with asphalt patches rather than concrete in parts of the mid‑island walkway, and staff said they will document and follow up with the contractor and county so patches do not come loose. Members reported continued outreach to Florida Power & Light about pedestrian lights that had been turned off as part of a turtle‑sensitive protocol and said staff are awaiting responses from utility contacts.

Next steps named at the meeting included additional signage and public education as e‑bike use grows, follow‑up with county crews on clogged drainage grates before hurricane season, continued discussions with FDOT/LDOT and emergency services about lane markings and possible bus lane trials, and a planned briefing with the project director after the scheduled bridge walk-through. The committee set its next meeting for Aug. 9.