Thursday, Sep. 04, 2008

Getting from here to there: A few shortcuts

Live anywhere long enough and you get to learn the ins and outs of the highways and by-ways.

If you want to get somewhere fast - even if you really don't need to, and you usually don't - it doesn't hurt the driving psyche to know a shortcut or two.

So, despite the protests of some who didn't want these secrets out, we're sharing the best of the best in the way of cut-throughs, jog-overs and short-cuts:

• Here's one to get you from west Bradenton, in the Palma Sola area, onto U.S. 41: Head south on 75th Street West to 53rd Ave. W., which will bring you up to U.S. 41. It avoids a number of lights and having to go through downtown Bradenton. That could save you 10 minutes easily.

• Don't want to sit at the light at First Street and Manatee Avenue West heading west? Try this: Just take a right at Second Street East, just before Manatee Memorial Hospital. Follow it around and it will turn into Waterfront Drive, which in turn, becomes Riverfront Drive after it passes beneath the DeSoto Bridge. That will bring you out Third Street West into Manatee Avenue. This can save you time sitting at the traffic light at Manatee Avenue and First Street. If that line's too long, you could miss two stoplight cycles, costing you about five minutes.

• Coming from the east and don't want to get stuck in State Road 70 traffic while heading to downtown Bradenton? No problem: Just west of Interstate 75, take a right on Caruso Road. Caruso will dead-end into 44th Avenue East. Make a left and follow around to the right, which puts you on 57th Street East. From there, it's a straight shot to State Road 64. Take a left and head straight into town. Depending on the traffic, that could cut your time by five minutes and it's a more relaxing drive to boot.

• How about a way to avoid Cortez Road trying to head east, coming back from the beaches? Well, try this: Make a left at Palma Sola Boulevard in the 8600 block of Cortez Road. Follow the scenic road to Manatee Avenue and make a right. Although the speed limit's slower and there are a few speed bumps, it could save you time because there's less traffic. And you can look at some beautiful bayside homes.

• If you need to get to Fruitville Road from University Parkway and I-75 is backed up, or you just don't want to drive on it, then here's your best bet: Just before the interstate, heading east, make a right on North Honore Avenue. The roadway will take you all the way through to Fruitville. That could save you 10 minutes because there is less traffic and congestion.

• A great bypass of the congested Manatee Avenue/U.S. 41 intersection if you are coming from the north: Take Third Avenue West and follow it until it dead-ends at 15th Street West. Make a left and it will take you to Manatee Avenue. It only shaves a couple of minutes, but could come in handy if U.S. 41 is backed up to the bridge.