City of Fort Myers broke ground on a $1.3 million, 10-foot-wide shared-use path connecting bikers and pedestrians along McGregor Boulevard with U.S. 41 on the north side of Hill Avenue.
The project is part of a long-term vision to link downtown Fort Myers and the McGregor Boulevard neighborhoods with Lee County’s John Yarbrough Linear Park, which currently ends at Colonial Boulevard. Extending the park into city limits and north to downtown will take years, but the Hill Avenue path marks an initial step.
Originally planned for Winkler Avenue near the Winkler Canal, the project shifted to Hill Avenue with City Council approval in May. During construction, a temporary canvas fence was installed along the southern perimeter of Fort Myers Country Club. Orange flags mark underground utilities, and wooden posts outline sections of the future path.
Preparations are underway along Hill Avenue in Fort Myers, where the city is building a 10-foot-wide path for pedestrians and cyclists.
David Dorsey
Construction, managed by Chris-Tel Construction, is expected to take about six months and be completed by May 2, 2026. Some fencing, signage and trees will be moved or removed to accommodate the path.
The city’s five-year plan calls for extending the path with an overpass over U.S. 41 to Carrell Road, then east along Carrell to the 10-mile canal, where it would connect with a future regional trail.
“Both the John Yarbrough Linear Park extension north of Colonial to Hanson and the Hill Avenue shared-use path are part of the city’s long-range bike/pedestrian plan,” wrote city Public Information Officer Noelle Casagrande in an email after consulting with the city’s engineering team. “In the future, it is anticipated that these two facilities could be connected by extending a shared use path on Carrell Road from U.S. 41 to JYLP. This will come during/after the city is able to close the large drainage ditch along Carrell Road.”
Funding for the JYLP extension would come through the state’s SunTrail program. The Hill Avenue path is being financed by the city.