Lee County Government is continuing robust restoration efforts at its beachfront locations on Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach while encouraging residents and visitors to plan ahead for parking after Labor Day and into season.

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, several Lee County Parks & Recreation beach parks will launch projects to restore and replace Hurricane Ian-damaged amenities such as restrooms, boardwalks and parking lots. The county is starting now because the rigorous process to obtain federal funding reimbursement for these projects has come through, meaning local taxpayer dollars do not have to be used.

Most projects are expected to take 11 months to complete.

Beaches will remain open throughout the projects.

The county is committed to providing progress updates as they become available. The county thanks residents and visitors for their patience as work occurs at county sites.

Fort Myers Beach county sites:

Bowditch Point Regional Park (50 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931): The site will close Tuesday, Sept. 8, with construction fencing installed around the property. No parking will be available. Pedestrian access to the beach will be maintained.

• Pedestrian access will be open along the south side of the park property during construction (near the Pink Shell Resort).

• Improvements include repairs to park buildings, boardwalks, parking areas, sidewalks, picnic areas, beach access points, trails and other amenities.

• A dredging operation also is planned, but that will not impact the beach itself, which can be accessed by walking from the beach to the south.

Lynn Hall Memorial Park (950 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931): Work is ongoing at this popular site, with construction having started in April.

• Anticipated completion date is late April or early May 2027, at which time the upgrades to park amenities such as ADA-accessible boardwalks, picnic shelters, landscaping, lighting, signage and an elevated restroom facility will open to enhance accessibility and visitor experience.

• This project also includes a parking lot with 146 spaces (with 10 of those being dedicated motorcycle parking), which will become available when the park reopens next spring.

Bonita Beach county sites:

Little Hickory Island Beach Park (26082 Hickory Blvd. Bonita Springs; also known as Beach Access #10): The parking lot will close Tuesday, Sept. 8, with construction fencing installed around the property while crews restore structures, wooden boardwalks and pavilions. The restroom building destroyed by the hurricane will be replaced.

• Portable restrooms currently located inside the park will be relocated outside the construction fence closer to the road so they remain available to beach-goers.

Bonita Beach Park (27954 Hickory Blvd. Bonita Springs): The site will close Tuesday, Sept. 8, with construction fencing installed around the property. Primary pedestrian access to the beach will be at Bonita Beach Access#1. Crews will repair a county office building, restroom and other amenities such as the wooden boardwalks and pavilions.

Bonita Beach Access 1 (27890 Hickory Blvd. Bonita Springs): This site will remain open until November, when restoration work will begin and its parking lot will close for construction.

For beach-goers interested in visiting the north end of Fort Myers Beach all the way south to Lovers Key, riding LeeTran is the best option.

• Park at no cost at the Beach Park & Ride, 11101 Summerlin Square Drive, which offers more than 125 free parking spaces with bus service to the beach.

• The Beach Trolley Route 490 provides rides from the Beach Park & Ride – with direct service to Crescent Beach Family Park – about every 30 minutes. The fare is half that of a non-beach-going LeeTran ride at 75 cents each way. Or beach-goers can purchase a $2 all-day pass.

• Once on the beach, the Route 410 traverses from Bowditch Point to Lovers Key. Use the Lee Fare App in advance or pay cash onboard. Visit www.RideLeeTran.com.

For beach-goers visiting the county’s beach sites south in the Bonita area, LeeTran’s Ultra On Demand service offers a convenient transportation solution.

• ULTRA On Demand provides connections between the center of Bonita Springs and Bonita Beach Park, while continuing to offer pickup and drop-off anywhere within the ULTRA service zone.

• LeeTran’s Ultra On Demand will provide pickups and drop-offs by reservation through the ULTRA app, originating from the designated pickup location in the parking lot at the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road.

• The free parking to catch Ultra is in the shopping center lot at 3300 Bonita Beach Road SW.

Visit www.leegov.com/leetran/ultra or download LeeTran’s ULTRA app to begin booking rides.

For updates on the construction and completion of Lee County’s beach projects and other Lee County Parks & Recreation projects, visit the Parks Project Information Tool at www.leegov.com/parks.

For more information about Lee County Parks & Recreation locations, amenities and special events, visit www.leeparks.org, call 239-533-7275, email leeparks@leegov.com or visit leeparksandrecreation on Facebook and Instagram. Residents and visitors can also explore more than 30 locations and earn rewards through Parks, Points & Perks, a free digital pass program. Learn more at www.visitfortmyers.com/ParksPass.

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters and follow on social media: www.leegov.com/socialmedia.