Midtown Fort Myers rebuild begins, runs to late 2027

The City of Fort Myers has started construction on the first phase of its Midtown Improvement Project. The work will rebuild the pipes, drains, streets and sidewalks under a large part of Midtown, the district just south of downtown.

The city put the cost at nearly $29.5 million. It expects construction to continue through late 2027. The details are in the city’s Midtown project announcement, posted Thursday.

Where the work is

Phase 1 is bounded by four streets:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
• Broadway Avenue
• Hoople Street
• Central Avenue

The city said that area is roughly one-third of Midtown’s 243-acre redevelopment area. The full district runs south to Edison Avenue, west to U.S. 41 and east to Fowler Street. Our guide to the Midtown neighborhood covers who lives there, the schools and the bus hub.

What Phase 1 includes

The city listed these improvements:

• new underground water and sewer lines
• better drainage and stormwater systems
• rebuilt and improved roadways
• new sidewalks and pedestrian improvements
• upgraded streetlights
• landscaping and street trees
• benches and other street furniture
• neighborhood and wayfinding signs

The city said plans include wider, more accessible sidewalks and room for new green spaces. Along Edison Avenue and Jackson Street, the work is to include a shared-use trail for people walking and cycling. The city said that trail will tie Midtown into its wider bicycle and pedestrian network.

What it means for you

If you live, work or drive in Midtown, the city told residents and businesses to expect:

• temporary daytime lane closures
• construction equipment working inside the project area
• barricades, placed to keep sidewalks next to businesses open
• short disruptions to mail delivery
• temporary changes to trash collection

The city said it would give advance notice of service changes whenever possible. If your pickup day shifts, our trash and recycling page has the city’s regular schedule and the number for Solid Waste.

Questions about the project go to its public information team at FortMyers.Midtown@AtkinsRealis.com. The city held a public information meeting on the project Sept. 17 at Collaboratory.

Also downtown: First and Second Street workshops

A separate study covers First Street and Second Street/Seaboard Street, from Fowler Street to where First Street meets Seaboard Street. The city and the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization are looking at long-term changes after the streets went two-way in 2023. The city’s First and Second Street study page lists two public workshops:

The city also has an online survey on the corridor.

Other closures around the city are on our road construction and closures page.