Lee Commissioners award construction engineering and inspection contract for Ortiz Avenue

Fort Myers, FL, June 15, 2021 – The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to award a contract to AECOM Technical Services, Inc. to provide construction engineering and inspection services to widen Ortiz Avenue to four lanes from Colonial Boulevard to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

The Board has committed to expanding transportation infrastructure in Lee County and this project has been identified as a priority. The 1.7-mile section of Ortiz offers relief to Interstate 75 during periods of heavy congestion.

In addition to widening to four lanes, there will be 7-foot-wide bicycle lanes, a 10-foot-wide trail on the west side of the road, a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the east side of the road and lighting along the corridor.

Construction is expected to begin early next year.

The contract awarded Tuesday is for about $1.9 million. The total cost of the project including design, land acquisition, construction and construction inspection is expected to be $21.8 million. The recently approved state budget includes a $2.17 million appropriation for the project.

For more information about the project, visit www.ortizavenuewidening.com. For more information about the Lee County Department of Transportation, visit www.leegov.com/dot.