In its second meeting, the Anna Maria Island Bridge aesthetics committee got down to business.
The group met July 27 at the Bradenton Public Works office to begin selecting aesthetic components of the bridge to replace the Anna Maria Island Bridge connecting Holmes Beach to Perico Island.
First on the agenda was the selection of a chair, vice-chair and secretary for the committee.
Jim McLellan, director of public works for the city of Bradenton, volunteered to chair the committee. He said it made sense for him to serve as chair since meetings are held at the public works facility.
Ingrid McClellan of Keep Manatee Beautiful volunteered for vice-chair. “A decision wasn’t being made so I volunteered,” she said.
Bob Rosa, representing Holmes Beach on the committee, volunteered to serve as secretary.
Committee members voted unanimously to accept the bylaws and purpose set out by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The purpose of the committee at its once a month through December meetings is to recommend elements for the bridge design, including color palette, lighting, railings and landscaping.
As the committee explores options, the DOT is updating a 3-D rendering of the bridge design to demonstrate how the recommendations appear as they are combined. The rendering tool also will calculate a projected cost for the project.
DOT project manager Rick Lillyquist — replacing Kati Sherrard on the project — distributed a copy of the software to committee members to use at home to see how their changes affect the bridge design.
Currently the project is estimated to cost $76 million and it is not yet funded by the state.
The proposed replacement bridge is a high-level, fixed-span bridge. It would be constructed 14 feet south of the existing bridge with a maximum height of 74 feet, providing 65 feet of navigational clearance.
The proposed bridge would feature two 12-foot traffic lanes, a 10-foot shoulder and a 10-foot sidewalk on each side, separated from the travel lanes by a barricade.
For more information on the project, visit www.swflroads.com/sr64/sr789topericobay.
The committee will next meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Bradenton Public Works, 1411 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.