The Florida Department of Transportation repair work won’t be quick on the draw.
But the DOT’s planned repair and maintenance project on the Anna Maria Island Bridge isn’t expected to cause big slowdowns.
The work will take place at night — 7 p.m.-6 a.m. on the Manatee Avenue/State Road 64 bridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway.
The project was to begin with staging July 24, as The Islander went to press, with the expected completion set for this winter.
At times, overnight — 7 p.m.-6 a.m. — single-lane closures are expected on the bridge, according to the DOT.
Planned work includes coating steel members, testing and repairing the mechanical system that raises and lowers the bascule segments, performing crack injections, cleaning corrosion and painting.
DOT community outreach manager Barbara Catlin said the DOT work is “normal care for a bridge in a harsh marine environment.”
The estimated cost of the project is $1.1 million.
Meanwhile, the DOT continues to work toward replacing the drawbridge with a fixed-span structure at a cost estimated to be $76 million.
The proposed megabridge — with a 65-foot vertical clearance — is in the design phase, which will be completed in mid-2025.
The DOT also continues to work toward replacing the Cortez Road drawbridge with a megabridge connecting Cortez and Bradenton Beach and on a study to determine the future of the Longboat Pass drawbridge between Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key.
For more about DOT projects, go online to swflroads.com.
— Lisa Neff
Counting cars
What’s the vehicle count on the Anna Maria Island Bridge around 7 p.m., when the Florida Department of Transportation will begin overnight work, including temporary lane closures to repair the structure?
The Holmes Beach Police Department, reviewing its law enforcement cameras at the bridge, reported the following August 2022 counts for 7-9 p.m. contrasted with 9-11 p.m.:
Date 7-9 p.m. 9-11 p.m.
Aug. 12 1,563 895
Aug. 13 1,823 1,073
Aug. 14 1,181 598
Aug. 15 1,210 541
Aug. 16 1,328 581
Aug. 17 1,274 661
Aug. 18 1,295 480
Aug. 19 1,217 739
Aug. 20 1,105 749
Aug. 21 815 507
Aug. 22 715 432
Aug. 23 858 466
Aug. 24 754 323
Aug. 25 1,212 466
Aug. 26 1,111 684
Aug. 27 1,660 773
Total 19,121 8,511