Feds hand out $10.4 million for bike paths

FORT MYERS — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx announced a $10.5 million grant for bike lanes in Lee County.

Foxx made the announcement while touring the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers on Thursday. The Lee County Metropolitan Organization applied for the grant, which is one of 52 transportation projects in 32 states to receive funding from a discretionary government fund.

The largest bike-lane project to be paid for with the grant is a 35-mile stretch to connect several Lee County parks. That will cost $6.5 million. The remaining funds will be used to fill gaps in connecting bike lanes in other parts of Lee County.