As the Florida Department of Transportation continues evaluating replacement options for the Longboat Pass Bridge, Longboat Key officials and residents are making their position known ahead of March public workshops.
The 1957 drawbridge connecting Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key provides 24 feet of vertical clearance and is nearing 70 years old. It is under evaluation for replacement, with project limits extending from North Shore Road on Longboat Key to Coquina Park in Bradenton Beach.
DOT project manager David Turley told The Islander Feb. 24 that the agency continues to evaluate three alternatives: a low-level 24-foot clearance bascule bridge, a mid-level 35-foot bascule bridge and a 78-foot-high fixed-span bridge, along with a no-build option.
Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier said Feb. 27 that no decision had been announced, but cost has led the state to favor a tall bridge.
“When we were asked for our view as a town, we said that we very much would prefer to have another higher bascule bridge, the kind that is there now, rather than a high-rise,” Schneier said.
The mayor added, “They said it would cost more money to build any kind of a drawbridge now and it costs a lot more to maintain it and operate it over time, to the tune of some $40 million, for any kind of a drawbridge versus a high rise.”
DOT estimates place the fixed-span option at about $137.8 million, compared with $176 million to $183.8 million for the bascule alternatives.
According to DOT projections, the tall fixed-span bridge would extend roughly three-quarters of a mile. Built at an estimated 4.5% grade, it would require about 1,700 feet of climb on each side to reach 78 feet, improving drivability but lengthening the footprint and bringing the landing closer to nearby residences.
Schneier said opposition reflects concerns from residents in the north end, where the bridge would land.
“It’s going to be coming down right outside the windows of some condos that have been there for a long time,” he said.
“It’s going to be unsafe for drivers. It’s going to be unsafe and maybe not workable for our older walkers and bikers, even though they’re going to make it a little bit wider,” he added.
Schneier added that the bridge serves more than motorists.
The current bridge is narrow and dangerous for pedestrians, anglers and cyclists and the town supports widening it for safety.
The DOT set meetings on the Longboat Pass Bridge project development and engineering study for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Christ Church of Longboat Key, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, virtually.
For more information, go to www.swflroads.com/project/436676-1.
My understanding is a key factor in considering whether the replacement bridge will be a drawbridge or an elevated fixed span is the need to improve the vehicle traffic flow between the islands. I walk the bridge almost daily. The drawbridge operators told me that due to the strong currents, unlike other drawbridges in the area like the Cortez Road Bridge that operates on a fixed schedule based on demand at 15 minutes and 45 minutes past each hour, the Longboat Key Bridge operates on demand whenever a boat needs to transit the area. The result is the drawbridge may open many times within an hour during peak boating times resulting in the more frequent back-up of vehicle traffic. An elevated fix span bridge will eliminate this in addition to resulting in reduced ongoing operating cost.