A north Longboat Key resident launched a petition opposing a proposed 78-foot-high bridge at Longboat Pass, arguing the design would alter the character of the community and create safety concerns for people.
Kellie Day, who owns a 1930s cottage in the village on Longboat Key’s north end, said the petition was created after learning a taller fixed-span bridge had returned as a favored option in the Florida Department of Transportation’s ongoing project development and environment study.
“A lot of us were under the impression that the 78-foot span was no longer on the table,” Day said in a March 24 interview. “Then we heard they backpedaled.”
The Longboat Pass drawbridge, built in 1957, connects Longboat Key to Bradenton Beach and is nearing 70 years old. The DOT is evaluating replacement options from North Shore Road on Longboat Key to the entrance at Manatee County’s Coquina Beach.
Day’s petition is hosted on Change.org, under the heading, “Stop changes to Longboat Key Pass bridge,” with a goal of 1,000 signatures.
As of March 26, 136 people had signed.
In the petition, Day calls the bridge “an iconic part of our community” and argues a taller structure would be “totally out of scale,” pose challenges for pedestrians and cyclists and do little to ease congestion.
Similar concerns have been raised by Longboat Key officials and other residents.
The DOT study is looking at several alternatives, including a no-build option to rehabilitate the existing drawbridge, a low-level bascule bridge with about 23 feet of vertical clearance, a mid-level bascule bridge with about 36 feet of clearance and the high-level fixed span providing about 78 feet of clearance.
A bascule bridge opens for boat traffic, while a fixed span remains stationary and must be built high enough to allow vessels to pass beneath.
Preliminary engineering documents shared with the public most recently identified the 78-foot-high fixed span as the preferred alternative. The design would include two travel lanes, a 12-foot shared-use path and an 8-foot sidewalk.
Supporters of a high bridge cite lower maintenance costs and uninterrupted marine navigation, as well as improved traffic flow by eliminating bridge openings.
Day said opposition centers on safety, aesthetics and how the bridge would function for daily users.
“The argument isn’t that it doesn’t need to be replaced,” she said. “But the 78-foot span is not safe, it’s not in line with the landscape and it’s out of touch with how people use that bridge.”
In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Day wrote that a bridge “approximately the height of a seven-story building” would create steep inclines that could make travel difficult for pedestrians and cyclists and increase vehicle speeds near intersections.
She also argued the design would not resolve congestion, which she said is largely driven by traffic volume at Coquina Beach, and warned it would “permanently change” the character of the north end of Longboat Key.
David Turley, DOT project development engineer and lead for the study, said public input has been gathered through meetings and comment periods rather than a formal preference survey. An initial survey focused only on vessel heights from boat owners.
Turley said during a DOT public workshop, held March 12 at Christ Church on Longboat Key, 124 comments were submitted, including 55 favoring a no-build option, 37 supporting a build alternative and 36 without a stated preference.
The DOT estimates the fixed-span option at about $137.8 million compared with $176 million to $183.8 million for bascule alternatives.
The agency plans to begin design this year, though construction funding has not been scheduled.
Day said the petition is intended to ensure residents are heard before a final decision is made.
“Once this is changed, it’s permanent,” she said.
