Some boaters attempting to enter or leave the Gulf of Mexico through Longboat Pass are going to need a detour.
The bascule for the Longboat Pass Bridge that connects the south end of Anna Maria Island at Bradenton Beach with Longboat Key is stuck in the down position and couldn’t be raised as of Oct. 24.
Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Robin Stublen said the failure on opening the drawbridge was first reported around noon Oct. 24.
Stublen said engineers from two companies were called to the scene to inspect the bascule that day, but no solution had been found as of Oct. 25.
“The DOT has not closed the bridge to vehicular traffic. We are evaluating the draw at this time,” Stublen said. The bridge is stable and secure. It’s the draw that’s not working, he said.
“If there were any chance of danger to the motoring public, the bridge would have been closed to vehicular traffic. Safety to the public is our first and foremost objective,” he said.
Engineers have found the bascule has shifted 3.95 inches out of alignment with the roadway, but no cause or solution has been determined, Stublen said.
Engineers from Infrastructure Corporation of America and Florida Drawbridge Inc. will evaluate the bascule this week. The bridge will be monitored to ensure it continues to be safe for motorists, he added.
Engineers will investigate a number of possible causes, including the ongoing installation of a new line near the bridge linking water service between Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.
Stublen said he was at the bridge Oct. 25 with a group of about nine engineers from the two companies and the DOT, plus a number of workers ready to fix the bascule if directed.
“Every one of the engineers said the bridge is safe for traffic,” he said.
Area marinas where high-mast yachts are anchored and the U.S. Coast Guard have been advised that the draw can’t be raised.
A bridge tender will remain on duty to advise yachts and boats that may not be able to clear the bridge to use another route.
Stublen said as soon as the problem is solved and the bascule is back in operation, a public announcement would be made.