Going to downtown Bradenton? You’d better plan for this big project

The reconstruction of the intersection of Third Avenue West and Ninth Street West, one of downtown Bradenton’s most critical intersections, will kick off Monday after months of delay.

No closures are expected between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day. However, southbound lanes leading into Bradenton from Palmetto will be closed at times during nighttime hours.

The intersection is the first one in Bradenton to greet motorists traveling south over the Green Bridge. During morning and evening rush hours, especially in the winter season, traffic heading toward the intersection frequently backs up on the bridge.

Traffic studies found almost a third of southbound traffic on Ninth Street West coming off the Green Bridge use Third Avenue to get elsewhere in downtown Bradenton during the morning rush hours.

During the seven-month project, Third Avenue West could be closed intermittently for a total of 30 days.

The work includes the addition of a right-hand, southbound turn lane coming off the Green Bridge onto Third Avenue, something officials on both sides of the bridge are hopeful will alleviate some stacking of traffic in the southbound lanes.

Additional work will include reducing the width of Ninth Street’s lanes sizes and widening the walking trail on the Green Bridge.