Two major transportation projects — the Anna Maria Island and Cortez bridges — are moving forward, if at a snail’s pace.
Tony Sherrard, representing the Florida Department of Transportation, gave a presentation on the two bridge projects to Island Transportation Planning Organization members June 13 at Holmes Beach City Hall.
“So we’ve still got a long way to go,” Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson said after hearing Sherrard’s presentation.
The three island mayors serve on the ITPO, which meets one week in advance of the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, to discuss issues on the MPO agenda. The mayors rotate in one seat on the MPO. Currently, Johnson serves as the MPO’s island representative.
Sherrard said the Anna Maria Island Bridge, which opened in 1957 to link Perico Island to Holmes Beach, is in a design phase that is expected to conclude in 2019. The recommendation is for a fixed bridge with a 65-foot navigational clearance and pedestrian and bicycle paths across the bridge, connecting to paths under both ends of the bridge.
American Consulting Engineers of Wesley Chapel is in charge of designing the bridge, along with an aesthetics committee made up of DOT and area municipal representatives. The committee will begin meeting June 29 and continue for one year. Committee members will determine the palettes for lighting, colors, railings, signage, landscaping and any trash receptacles or furniture on or around the bridge.
Sherrard said the new bridge is projected to cost $76 million.
The Cortez Bridge
The Cortez Bridge, which also opened for service in 1957, is being evaluated to determine if it should be replaced or rehabilitated.
If the Cortez Bridge is rehabilitated, the existing pilings and span would be used, but the decking and beams would be replaced.
Options for replacement include a low- or mid-level drawbridge and a high-level, fixed-span. Each option has an 8-foot sidewalk, 10-foot shoulder and two 12-foot traffic lanes.
Sherrard said adding a dedicated transit lane — either one center lane or two lanes, one on each side — was studied and determined ineffective at reducing the amount of traffic on the bridge.
“It’s not cost-feasible,” he said. “It doesn’t help with anything.”
Neither bridge is funded past the design phase, according to Sherrard, although funding already has been secured for the design of the Cortez Bridge.
In other business
In other business, Claudia Carlson of the MPO citizen’s advisory committee said new criteria based on performance soon would be implemented for future MPO funding.
“They’re getting much more specific in the way the MPO evaluates projects,” she said.
New criteria require the evaluation of future projects based on safety, mobility, economy, preservation and environment.
MPO representative Leigh Holt said the criteria are the result of federal changes in 2015 to include performance measures in transit planning.
“We’re looking at the impact on funding,” Holt said. “It’s almost like using eligibility criteria to determine funding.”
“It’s important we are in line with those objectives for federal funding,” said Lynn Burnett, engineer for the three island cities. “The Federal Highway Administration needs to lead with determining how those criteria are to be applied.”
The ITPO will next meet at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, at a location to be determined.
The MPO will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, June 27, at the Holiday Inn Sarasota-Airport, 8009 15th St. E., Sarasota.