VIRGINIA BEACH — Patches of dull, grayish-black sand cover the beach near the water’s edge at 23rd Street. The dark sections stand out in contrast to the bright tan grains closer to the Boardwalk.

The Big Carlos Pass Bridge project will replace the current bridge connecting Fort Myers Beach and Lover's Key with a 60-foot fixed-span bridge. The $90.8 million project began in Spring 2023 and ...