Warning to Cyclists: Don't bike on Fort Myers Beach until the Estero Blvd. Improvement project is completed

Below is a message from Tina Sujana, an area avid cyclist, past bike shop manager, local realtor, and current member of the MPO's Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinating Committee, about the dangers of biking on Estero Blvd. in Fort Myers Beach.  Thanks, Tina, for bringing this to our attention.

Message to BikeWalkLee on Dec. 22, 2016:

Just wanted to send a warning out to anyone who cycles to avoid Fort Myers Beach, or proceed with extreme caution. Three of us went down this morning due to the road works. We were not going fast but the new curb in the middle, the metal along the way, and the various ways the road is torn up is extremely detrimental.

The fact that they are conducting these road works in the busiest part of the whole beach during season is astounding.  As I mentioned, three of us went down independently, riding as a group but not as a cause of the other. We all hit our heads and have various contusions and scrapes.  Our bikes all need some kind of attention due to damage, and 2 helmets are cracked. Luckily a friend picked us up so we didn't have to ride any further.   

Thank goodness for helmets, and that this was not more serious.

 Perhaps you could warn other cyclists about this area of extreme danger which extends basically from just past the traffic light at the base of the bridge, to the fire station. Our accidents were around the 50 feet or so in front of Mango St.  

I would just like to state the obvious though, in the hopes it gets passed along. This is not just about us as locals.  This is a tourist destination. Tourists are going to come here and want to ride their bikes and are going to be faced with these same problems, or worse because they are staying on FMB. Not a very smart move on behalf of the city of FMB. [BWL NOTE: this is a County-maintained road and LeeDOT managed project.]  I have seen this stretch of road go from not that bad to absolutely terrible and dangerous, and here we are about to hit the height of season in a few weeks.  

As a realtor in the area I should be advising visitors who contact me to avoid the beach area until, I am told, several years from now when this might be completed.  As a cyclist, I owe it to other cyclists to do the same. 

And I would like to report this to the correct authority so that they know this has happened. Do you know who I would contact?

Thank you

Tina Sujana