Blue skies. White sands. Spring has come to the barrier islands, bringing bumper-to-bumper traffic.
“And every spring we complain about the traffic and then it goes away, and we do nothing,” Longboat Key Mayor Jack Duncan said.
Duncan, along with Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson, Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, and Holmes Beach Commissioners Carol Soustek and Jean Peelen, Bradenton Beach Commissioner Jan Vosburgh and Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter, met March 16 for a discussion on how to relieve seasonal traffic problems.
The group met in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers in Bradenton Beach, just a few yards from Gulf Drive and that bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The officials picked up where they left off in February, when they began creating a list of potential solutions to congestion. They came up with 28 ideas. Then they began refining their suggestions, creating a more manageable list.
The officials went from 28 to eight ideas that could be short-term manageable solutions.
Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson said, “We’re looking at what can be easily fixable by us.”
Duncan agreed. “Then we can forward our immediate ‘I know this will work’ actions and ideas.”
The officials will send their ideas on to Manatee County officials, the Florida Department of Transportation and other overseers for help with funding and implementation.
The solutions include:
• Determine the viability of running an express bus from downtown Bradenton to the Manatee Public Beach or Coquina Beach for workers.
• Work with Manatee County to lease a parking lot on the corner of 75th Street West and Manatee Avenue and run a day-tripper shuttle to the beach.
• Work with the U.S. Coast Guard to reduce openings on the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue and openings of the Cortez and Longboat Pass drawbridges.
• Monitor traffic flow during peak tourist season and take control of traffic signals to reduce back ups.
• Split the island trolley into north and south loops, beginning and ending at Manatee Public Beach, instead of one island-long circuit.
• Improve traffic signal patterns and timing at the Cortez Road and 119th Street West intersection, near the Florida Maritime Museum and Harbour Landings entrance.
Longboat Key town manager Dave Bullock, who facilitated the discussion, said he’d draft a letter seeking county and state assistance for the mayors to sign.
Bullock said he would have a draft ready by the April BIEO meeting.
The officials are scheduled to meet again at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at Holmes Beach City Hall.
Visit islander.org to see the original 28 BIEO traffic suggestions.
28 traffic solutions
1) Determine the viability and effectiveness of “Express Buses” on both Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road, with only 2-3 central pick up stops in Bradenton/Palmetto and ending at the Manatee Public Beach or Coquina Beach terminus.
2) Undertake the same sort of study to determine the viability of an inexpensive (i.e. $5-$6 one way) high speed water taxi from Downtown Bradenton/Palmetto, targeted to island workforce and subsidize the cost either with island merchants or Manatee County TDC or concession funds, Federal grants, or all of these.
3) In coordination with Manatee County lease a portion of the parking lot at 75th Street and Manatee Avenue and offer shuttle service to/from the island, to make a determination if a new multistory garage in that location is a practical solution to alleviate some congestion.
4. Reduce drawbridge lifts on all 3 bridges to 1 per hour and less during peak traffic periods
5) Monitor traffic flow remotely using the cameras already installed and adjust red light/green light time accordingly to facilitate the flow off and onto the island.
6) Currently funded FDOT study bridge openings, automated traffic signal timer (4 lights) for monitoring and changed from Manatee County Traffic Management Center.
7) Manual override, law enforcement, for maximum traffic signal flow on or off the island as needed on heavy beach days.
8) Cortez Beach, have parking lot designed with limited ingress and egress from SR 789. This could also address the stormwater issues, opportunity to close beach, and stop cruising.
9) Island trolleys, two routes Cortez Beach to Manatee Beach and Manatee Beach to Anna Maria, extra trolley when needed.
10) Mainland “park and ride’ with rider coupon for use at beach concessions.
11) Develop some type of pedestrian controls to limit crossings to designated crosswalks only.
12) Traffic circle at SR64 and East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach.
13) Traffic circle at SR64 and Gulf Drive.
14) Traffic circle at Gulf Drive and 52nd Street.
15) Regulated pedestrian controls at St. Armand’s – electronic or traffic guards.
16) Improve traffic light operations at Cortez Bridge to 119th Street to allow better traffic flow on Cortez Road.
17) Limit both Cortez and New Pass Bridge openings in season
18) Dedicated turn lane at Fruitville Road and US 41.
19) Install turn lanes on Gulf of Mexico Drive at Country Club Shores on Longboat Key.
20) Traffic Circles at North end and South end of Longboat Key.
21) Remove traffic light at Mote Marine.
22) Determine effect of redirecting Gulf of Mexico Drive pass-through traffic.
23) Parking garage at St. Armand’s.
24) Remove the median on Mound Street South in Sarasota.
25) Roundabouts at Gulf of Mexico Drive and Broadway and Gulf of Mexico Drive and Longboat Club Road on Longboat Key.
26) Seek active support and involvement of Chambers of Commerce and business leadership in identifying and implementing congestion improvement solutions.
27) Collect data on the number of employees, work schedules, business hours, rental schedules from businesses and realtors in order to explore feasibility of staggered work schedules and rental agreement to avoid peak times.
28) Study traffic patterns of various user segments, the nature of their trips and the potential viable alternatives modes of travel.