Bradenton Beach mayor says island ready for ferry service

PALMETTO -- With a dock and location on the water, a boat is all that is missing before bringing ferry service to Anna Maria Island, an island mayor said Tuesday.

"We are ready and willing and eager to participate in this," Bradenton Beach Mayor William Shearon said at Tuesday's Council of Governments meeting. "This has been a dream for over a decade."

Shearon's remarks about a ferry service to Anna Maria Island, especially Bradenton Beach, were prompted by a presentation about a ferry service coming to Tampa Bay as soon as October.

"Please give us the opportunity to be a part of this especially in Anna Maria Island," he said.

A Tampa Bay Passenger Ferry Service, which would be a pilot project, would reduce 90,000 miles of daily travel on Hillsborough County roadways, according to the presentation.

While it would not service Manatee County, the high speed ferry, which would run from Oct. 15, 2016, through April 15, 2017, would service St. Petersburg and Tampa with potential expansion to Apollo Beach.

The ferry, which could carry up to 150 people, would be the first new passenger service in the southeast, according to the presentation.

"You can build capacity or you can use existing resources more efficiently, and ferries do that because they use water," said Ed Turanchik with Akerman Law Firm in Tampa. "There is an incredible amount of excitement for this project in our communities."

As Manatee County considers establishing a ferry service in the future, the community must define the purpose for such a service, Turanchik said. Would it be for commuters and employees or tourists?

Water depth and funding are also key considerations for water transportation, Turanchik said.

"No other transportation option can do so much, for so little, so fast, with so much private funding and that is so cool," he said.

With congested roadways and being a community on the water, Manatee County certainly has the matrix for a ferry service, Turanchik said.

"I think it's absolutely worth figuring out whether you can do it," he said. "It kind of depends on the boat and the needs. ... Make sure you understand the purpose and all the pieces because you want it to be successful."

Palmetto City Commissioner Jonathan Davis said his great-grandmother used to ride a ferry from Palma Sola to Tampa.

"It has worked," he said. "It will work. The waterway is there. It is free. It is just going to have to jump some hurdles. ... This can be done and it has been done in the past."

The Council of Governments also heard a presentation about the Central Manatee Network Alternatives Analysis, which is looking at 13 square miles to "address local and regional travel needs while supporting broader economic development goals," according to study materials. Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant called on other local elected officials to help move this forward to help alleviate congestion.

"We all need to work together as partners," she said.

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 11:10 PM with the headline "Bradenton Beach mayor says island ready for ferry service ."