Fallen FPL power pole on Cortez Road causes traffic snarls in Bradenton

Fallen FPL power pole causes traffic snarls in Bradenton

MANATEE -- Cortez Road was closed for about six hours as Florida Power & Light crews worked to remove and replace a rotted power line pole that fell about 5:40 a.m. Saturday causing traffic jams all morning.

The pole fell down in front of Demetrios' Pizza House in the 1700 block of Cortez Road in West Bradenton cutting electrical power to more to 1,350 customers, including 33 businesses, according to FPL spokesman Stephen Heiman.

The fallen power lines crossed eastbound and westbound lanes on Cortez Road.

Eastbound lanes were closed intermittently during repairs, while westbound lanes from 14th Street West to 18th Street West remained closed until work was completed around noon. Power to all but two customers was restored by 9:45 a.m., Heiman said.

By 2 p.m., FPL crews had replaced the pole with a new one and restored all power.

No damage or injuries were reported.

The condition of the old pole had been unknown, according to FPL.

"FPL is in the process of replacing thousands of distribution utility poles with stronger ones -- most of them concrete -- designed to withstand hurricane-force wind gusts," Heiman said. "Crews will continue to inspect the equipment on a regular basis and replace any equipment that should need repair or replacing."

In 2015, FPL spent more than $175 million to upgrade power lines and equipment serving essential community facilities, he added.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office and Florida Department of Transportation helped redirect traffic. Traffic was backed up on all routes intersecting with Cortez Road West and 14th Street West.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Fallen FPL power pole on Cortez Road causes traffic snarls in Bradenton ."