Bradenton Beach’s tram will keep to a familiar route, at least for a while.
Commissioner Ralph Cole, who chairs the community redevelopment agency, and Josh LaRose, proprietor of the Easy Park tram service, presented possible adjustments Dec. 7 to the pilot program, including a route change, but a Manatee County project in 2023 means status quo for now.
The tram, which began operation in 2020, transports people between parking lots at Coquina and Cortez beaches and within the boundaries of the CRA commercial district, where parking is limited. The service, like the Manatee County Area Transit trolleys, is fare-free but the route is restricted to the beach parking lots, Bridge Street and the surrounding commercial district.
The CRA voted Nov. 2 in favor of a six-month extension on the service, with members of the agency saying they wanted to look at improving ridership.
The route runs along Gulf Drive from Coquina Beach to Fifth Street South, up Bay Drive South to the east end of Bridge Street and up to the Bradenton Beach Marina, ending at Cortez Road West.
Data shows most riders utilize the shuttle from Cortez Beach, with fewer numbers coming from the more southerly Coquina Beach.
For example, LaRose said, ridership in November worked out to 61 pickups from south Coquina Beach and 452 from Cortez Beach.
LaRose also said requests for 250 rides past the Cortez Road boundary were declined based on the limits established by the CRA.
With that information, the CRA members discussed changing the route to remove travel to south Coquina Beach but extend the northern boundary of the route north of Cortez Road, beyond the CRA district.
“This would allow the tram to hit where the most amount of people are parking,” Cole said.
“I think we want to remember what precipitated this and that is that parking is the No. 1 issue in the business district,” said CRA member Ed Chiles, who owns the BeachHouse Restaurant. “That’s first and foremost.”
Police Chief John Cosby said the CRA members also should keep in mind that a county sewer replacement project will impact ridership at Cortez Beach.
In mid-January, the county will begin replacing gravity-fed sewer lines on Gulf Drive along Cortez Beach from Sixth Street South to 13th Street South.
The project is slated for completion in November 2024.
Cortez Beach parking soon will become nonexistent due to construction, the chief said.
“We’re looking at 18 months if everything goes perfect and when was the last time that happened?” Cosby said.
He said the tram had yet to run under normal conditions — and that’s not likely to change soon.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s Complete Streets initiative will start in 2025-26 in Bradenton Beach. Complete Streets is a redesign of roads inclusive of drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and transit/transit riders.
“Unfortunately for Josh, he’s never had the ability to be tested on what the true feel of the island is because we haven’t had it since he started because of COVID and other things and now with the construction projects that are coming in, that opportunity isn’t
going to exist for another two to five years,” Cosby said.
After some discussion, Mayor John Chappie, also a CRA member, made a motion to make no changes to the route, which was seconded by Chiles.
The motion passed 6-1, with CRA resident-member David Bell dissenting.
About the CRA
The Bradenton Beach CRA funds capital improvement projects to promote restoration, growth and tourism for the district.
The CRA district, bordered by Cortez Road, Sarasota Bay, Fifth Street South and the Gulf of Mexico, was deemed blighted in 1992, allowing for incremental tax revenue to promote restoration and growth, including tourism.
The city mayor and commissioners, as well as a resident and business owner comprise the board.
The next CRA meeting will be at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.