Ortiz Avenue road widening project begins

Reporter: Tiffany Rizzo Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
Ortiz Avenue
Ortiz Avenue at Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Credit: WINK News.

The Lee County Commission-approved Ortiz Avenue widening project, which is set to begin on Monday, may cause more traffic delays in the already crowded area.

The $31 million project will widen Ortiz Avenue from two lanes to four and add additional roadway drainage between Colonial and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevards.

The Florida Department of Transportation reports an increase in motorists on Ortiz Avenue since it was built, calling for the widening project to help accommodate traffic flow.

The cramped Fort Myers area has caused headaches for motorists, with many fearing that construction will only add to the problem.

WINK News spoke with Jennifer Dorning, Project Public Information Consultant for the Ortiz Avenue Widening project for FDOT, who said plans have been implemented to mitigate congestion.

“This contractor is looking to start at the north end of the job. They’re looking at building the lanes without affecting traffic, shifting traffic over, and then building the other side, so we expect to keep two-way traffic open most of the time,” said Dorning.

FDOT is requesting motorists to drive cautiously while traveling through the work zone.

The project is expected to be finished by Spring 2026.

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