Lee County Kicks off $600,000 Study To Make Bike Paths Safer

State funds totaling $600,000 will support bike path improvements across Fort Myers and North Fort Myers. The work aims to improve connectivity in the SUN Trail system while creating protected routes away from traffic.

"The existing alignment for the SUN Trail network in central Fort Myers, downtown Fort Myers and North Fort Myers are not conducive, or friendly for bicycling or even for pedestrians," said Transportation Planning Administrator Ron Gogoi per The Lehigh Acres Citizen.

Plans call for connecting Littleton Road to Cape Coral's Kismet Parkway in the northwest. The southeast portion will link to John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail, stretching toward Hanson Street.

The Caloosahatchee bridge's new walkway could serve as a vital link between paths in downtown Fort Myers. Where space runs tight, planners might blend bike routes with current streets and sidewalks.

The public can share their thoughts through an online survey until October. After that, experts will study what residents want before drawing up the final blueprint.

This planning phase spans 18 months. Money constraints might split construction into smaller steps. "You might have to come up with phases and then look at what kind of funding is available," Gogoi said.

The SUN Trail winds through Florida's coast and Cape Coral. These paths connect north and south to other counties, making up part of a bigger state network.

By making biking safer, officials hope fewer people will drive short distances. "We want to provide protected multiuse pathways, so people are safe and there are minimum conflict points with cars," Gogoi said. "People will not be using their cars for small trips."