The three bridges serving Anna Maria Island are all low-level drawbridges built in the 1950s, and two — the Cortez Bridge and the Anna Maria Bridge — are scheduled to be replaced by high-rise bridges.
The future of the third span, the Longboat Key Bridge, could include rehabilitation or replacement by either a high-level fixed bridge or a movable bridge.
The Florida Department of Transportation has announced workshops this week to gather views from the public on the Longboat Key Bridge. See below for more information about the workshops.
Whatever steps or decisions are made are sure to be met with criticism and in some cases outright opposition, as was the case with the Anna Maria and Cortez bridges.
Judy tit*worth, mayor of Holmes Beach, where the Anna Maria Bridge (also known as the Manatee Avenue Bridge) lands, would like to see a designated trolley lane and pedestrian/bike paths physically separated from vehicular traffic, like the Green Bridge connecting Bradenton and Palmetto.
“The Green Bridge is so safe,” she said.
That would be a big improvement to the existing Anna Maria Bridge, especially after one sidewalk was closed because of water main pipe support repair. The remaining sidewalk is not wide enough to allow bicycles approaching from opposite directions to pass, she said.
Safer sidewalks would encourage more people to ride bicycles across the bridge, she said.
Although the Anna Maria Bridge does not land in his city, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy says a replacement can’t come fast enough.
“Whether they do a drawbridge or a mega bridge, we need something better,” Murphy said, citing congestion and the need to evacuate residents and visitors from the island in advance of a storm emergency.
Here’s what’s next for the three bridges.
Cortez Bridge
The first of the bridges scheduled to be replaced is the Cortez Bridge, built in 1956.
▪ Planned: A 65-foot-high fixed bridge to the north of the existing bridge with two 12-foot travel lanes, one eastbound and one westbound. Each travel lane would be bordered by a 10-foot shoulder, allowing the passage of emergency vehicles, and a 10-foot sidewalk.
FDOT studies show that replacing a drawbridge with a high-rise bridge would allow 98% of boat traffic to pass.
▪ Length: The project, including road improvements, spans 0.9 miles from Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach to 123rd Street West on the mainland.
▪ Schedule: Design completion is forecast for spring 2025. A date for the start of construction has not been announced.
▪ Cost: FDOT projects that it will cost roughly $94 million. But the actual cost could be higher.
▪ For more information: visit FDOT’s Cortez Bridge project web page at https://www.swflroads.com/project/430204-2.
Anna Maria Bridge
▪ Planned: A 65-foot-high fixed bridge approximately 14 feet south of the existing bridge with two 12-foot travel lanes — one in each direction. Each travel lane would be bordered by an 11-foot shoulder to allow emergency vehicles to pass and a 10-foot sidewalk.
FDOT studies show that 98% of boat traffic will be able to pass under the planned 65-foot bridge.
▪ Length: The project, including road improvements, spans 1.94 miles from East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach to Perico Bay Boulevard along Manatee Avenue.
▪ Schedule: The Anna Maria Island Bridge replacement is forecast for construction in 2029.
▪ Cost: $138 million. Currently unfunded.
▪ For more information: visit FDOT’s Anna Maria project web page at https://www.swflroads.com/project/408185-3.
Longboat Key Bridge
Planned: FDOT has initiated a study for Gulf Drive South from the entrance of Coquina Park to North Shore Road. The study will evaluate alternatives to replace the existing Longboat Key Bridge over Longboat Pass. The bridge was built in 1957.
Alternatives to be evaluated include rehabilitation of the existing bridge, a new high-level fixed bridge and a movable bridge.
Length: 0.75 miles.
Schedule: The design phase is planned for fiscal year 2026. Right of way and construction are unfunded at this time.
Cost: Estimates for the project are $93 million to $134 million, depending on the alternative chosen.
For more information: FDOT has announced two public workshops, one online and the other in person, to allow the public to express their views about the project.
A live online option is set for 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, to view a project video and offer a live question-and-answer session with the project team. Project materials can be previewed at https://www.swflroads.com/project/436676-1.
An in-person option is scheduled anytime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at Christ Church, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. This will include a looping video (no formal presentation). The project team will be available for discussion.
