FDOT says San Carlos Boulevard work due this fall; county signal timing, median landscaping remain unresolved

The Florida Department of Transportation on April 21 told the Fort Myers Beach Town Council the multi‑phase San Carlos Boulevard (State Road 865) project — from north of Crescent Street to north of Hurricane Pass Bridge — is expected to be finished in fall 2025.

Ethan Purvis, FDOT community outreach specialist, said completed work includes milling and resurfacing, roadway widening, an eight‑foot shared use path, drainage improvements, new signage and three bus spaces. "We are expecting to have the project completed by fall of 2025," Purvis said.

Why it matters: Council members pressed FDOT project staff on whether the new signals and lights on San Carlos Boulevard, Fifth Street and Main Street will be synchronized with an Old San Carlos signal that has been out of service since Hurricane Ian. That coordination affects traffic flow across Matanzas Pass Bridge and the ability to open or close lanes dynamically during peak periods.

FDOT project administrator Edgar Gonzales said his team is coordinating with Lee County on signal phasing after FDOT completes its scope but described the Old San Carlos signal as outside FDOT's contract limits. "That light is out of our project limits. So that's a Lee County question," Gonzales said, adding that FDOT will work with the county once its own work is finished.

Council members raised several operational questions. Councilor King asked whether the county was aware of FDOT's timeline so the signals could go live in concert; Gonzales replied coordination would follow FDOT's contract completion. Vice Mayor Adderholt and others pressed whether the bridge configuration could be made reversible (two inbound lanes in the morning, two outbound in the evening). Gonzales, who described his role as project administrator rather than traffic engineer, said the final configuration is two lanes inbound and one lane outbound and that a reversible arrangement would require further engineering study or temporary traffic control with human direction.

Council members also questioned landscaping plans for a large center area that currently functions as a retention basin. Gonzales said landscaping and hardening of that area are part of a separate contract that will follow site work; he agreed to research which contractor will handle the landscape contract and when it will begin.

On public education, Purvis described FDOT's weekly Road Watch updates and encouraged residents and visitors to use the project's web page for status updates. Council members urged FDOT to provide visual materials — animated diagrams or simple graphics showing the final channelization and signal operation — because many visitors and seasonal residents will encounter the new configuration for the first time.

Several council members asked FDOT to work with Lee County and local enforcement to minimize staggered openings and confusion when the new signals come online. Purvis said the FDOT outreach team will share materials and the project hotline for more detailed questions.

What's next: FDOT will continue work on lighting, ITS (intelligent transportation systems) components and traffic signals through the summer; the department will coordinate final signal phasing with Lee County after construction work is complete. Council members asked staff to press for earlier coordination on the Old San Carlos signal and for FDOT to provide simpler visual guides for public outreach.

Ending: Residents seeking frequent updates were directed to FDOT's project page and the community outreach contact for the project. "We do hold regular updates on our website," Purvis said, and he posted a project hotline and email for further questions.