DeSoto Bridge replacement has a date. Learn more about the project at Bradenton meeting
At a projected cost of $168 million, a project to replace the aging DeSoto Bridge, connecting Bradenton and Palmetto via U.S. 301, is set to begin in 2027.
Fully funded, the project will take about three years to complete, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Built in 1957, the bridge has been overtaken by massive population growth. Manatee County saw a 269% increase in population between 1980 and 2020. Traffic backups can be horrendous.
Population growth has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Manatee County’s roads and bridges serve record numbers of visitors.
How bad is the problem? The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization has long made replacing the DeSoto Bridge its top legislative priority.
One of the potential replacements mentioned in the past, a flyover, or elevated bridge, has been taken off the table. That project was previously assailed from all sides. Some residents complained it would devalue property and others said it would hurt minority communities.
“The flyover is not a part of the DeSoto Bridge replacement study nor the Bradenton-Palmetto Connector Alternative Corridor Evaluation Study,” Patricia Pichette, an FDOT communications specialist, said this week in an email.
Instead of an elevated bridge, the proposed new bridge would be similar in length and profile to the existing one. It would also include wider inside and outside shoulders and a barrier separating a new shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists from vehicular traffic.
The existing bridge will be used during construction to maintain traffic during construction of the new bridge.
The new bridge will be slightly offset either east or west of the existing bridge. No decision has been made yet regarding the east or west offset. FFDOT is seeking thoughts and comments from the public regarding the east or west shift. A decision will be made early next year.
Florida Department of Transportation officials have announced public meetings — in person and online — to share information about improving the flow of traffic between Bradenton and Palmetto.
Two distinct and different studies are presently underway, Pichette said.
One study focuses on replacing the bridge with a new one.
The other study, the Bradenton-Palmetto Connector Alternative Corridor Evaluation Study, considers how the traffic load might be spread, in part to relieve traffic on the replacement bridge.
Under consideration are 10 potential corridors where a new river crossing could be built, some to the east of the existing DeSoto Bridge, and some to the west. That study is not far along, and to date, funding has not been allocated for construction of any potential alternative corridor.
FDOT is sending notices to property owners, business owners, interested persons and organizations within 300 feet of the project about the information meeting.
How to attend
An in-person information session is set for 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton. The session will include a looping video, but no formal presentation. The project team will be available for discussion.
In addition, there will be a live online option 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, including viewing the project video and a live question-and-answer component with the project team. Register in advance at https://tinyurl.com/29tt2vb8.
The same materials will be displayed at both the online and in-person events.
Materials can be previewed in advance of the meeting on the project webpage at https://www.swflroads.com/project/442630-1.
This story was originally published October 11, 2023 at 5:50 AM.
