Big Carlos Pass PD&E Study and Design
Owner: Lee County, Florida Location: Lee County, Florida
This project involves conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to consider alternatives for replacement or rehabilitation of the Big Carlos Pass Bridge, which is located on Estero Boulevard in Lee County. The Big Carlos Pass Bridge provides connection between Fort Myers Beach and Lovers Key State Park. The existing bridge is a single leaf bascule bridge with a horizontal clearance of 50 feet and a vertical clearance (when close) of 24 feet 6 inches at the main channel and a total bridge length of approximately 1,688 feet. KCA and Lee County are coordinating with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Office of Environmental Management to obtain location and design concept approval on a preferred alternative. The study will be in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), develop the purpose and need for the project, and determine environmental class of action following the FDOT PD&E Manual and using the Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) process. KCA will conduct environmental and structural analyses, lead public involvement/information meetings, obtain and analyze traffic data, develop conceptual design plans, coordinate with utility agency owners (UAOs), determine right-of-way (R/W) impacts, and develop cost estimates. Additionally, KCA will evaluate traffic noise and noise walls as part of this study.
Among the different alternatives being studied on this PD&E, the proposed high-level structure consists of 14 spans of 161 feet 0 inches for an overall bridge length of approximately 2,254 feet. The superstructure includes an 8.5-inch concrete deck with seven Florida I-Beam 78 supported on end bents and hammer head piers. Rounded end footings with 24-inch prestressed concrete piles are utilized for vessel collision.
