BRADENTON BEACH – City officials who viewed a recent Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) presentation expressed their concerns that the proposed new bridge to be built over Longboat Pass has the potential to worsen the traffic flow at the south end of Bradenton Beach.
The Longboat Pass Bridge extends from the south end of Bradenton Beach to the north end of Longboat Key and serves as the primary point of access to and from the north end of Longboat Key. The current bridge is nearly 70 years old.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) hosted an in-person PD&E study public hearing at the Christ Church of Longboat Key on Thursday, March 12. FDOT hosted a similar virtual online hearing on Tuesday, March 17.
During the hearings, FDOT officials presented information about the state agency’s preferred alternative to the existing drawbridge. FDOT plans to replace the existing Longboat Pass Bridge with a 78-foot-high fixed span bridge.
According to the presentation, “The need for the proposed improvements to State Road 789 includes addressing the structural integrity of the existing bridge, enhancing multi-modal mobility and improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities and emergency evacuation and response times.”
The presentation shared during the public hearings states: “The current driveway at the Coquina Beach South entrance will be shifted approximately 500 feet to the north and will still be accessible from northbound and southbound traffic. In addition, the current driveway at the Coquina Beach South entrance will become an underpass underneath the proposed bridge and will give recreational access to the bay side (the east side) of SR 789 for both northbound and southbound traffic.”
Having viewed the presentation, Mayor John Chappie shared his concerns during the March 19 city commission meeting.
“One of the things that caught my eye was with the south boat ramps. They’re funneling all the traffic to get in and out of there to the west side of Gulf Drive, then you have to go to the exit,” Chappie said. “I think that could be a problem with those trailers on the back of trucks making these turns and maneuvering and then having to wait and come in on Gulf Drive.”
Chappie said he could see traffic backups worsening in that scenario.
Having viewed the presentation, Commissioner Scott Bear said, “Part of what they’re doing is they’re funneling all of the traffic to the two access points and the vehicles trailering boats out have to cross the southbound lane. Not only is it going to cause problems with the northbound side, it is going to shut down the southbound side as well.”
Bear, a former engineer, said he suggested to the project managers the addition of an acceleration lane to help traffic merge.
“They hadn’t thought about that. They’re going to go back and look at it and provide some input to the city as to whether that’s even possible,” Bear said. “We still have multiple opportunities to speak to them because they’ll have to come forward with design meetings.”
Bear said as the plans stand now there could be a worse traffic problem in that area than what exists today.
“They’re pushing the bridge further to the north so that they can get underneath with the boats. You would have to turn right onto the current beach access inside the park and then get into one of the exits,” Bear said. “The current exit that’s there on the boat ramp, they’ve moved that 500 feet north. This will not fix traffic and will potentially make it worse.”
The proposed bridge will begin at North Shore Road in Longboat Key and extend approximately one mile to the north.
“As proposed, the recommended alternative will require permanent use of approximately 0.23 acres of property from the Coquina Bayside Park and boat ramp to accommodate a maintenance easement,” according to the presentation.
Subsequent project phases include design, public right-of-way easements and construction.
According to the FDOT project website, “At this time, FDOT’s adopted five-year work program includes funding for the next phase of the project design in fiscal year 2026. There is no private right-of-way acquisition needed for this project. Currently there is no funding for construction.”
According to the FDOT presentation, “The Longboat Pass Bridge was rehabilitated in 2005, but the original structure was built in 1957. Based on a February 2024 FDOT bridge inspection report, the bridge received a sufficiency rating of 42 on a scale of 0-100. Anything under 50 qualifies a bridge for replacement funding.”
