FDOT should expedite fixes to Bradenton-Palmetto gridlock

Ask anyone with a drivers license about Manatee County's transportation challenges and expect an earful of complaints about the utter gridlock at certain times of day and season. The Florida Department of Transportation held a public workshop Thursday to gain resident feedback on a state analysis of the issues in a 13-square-mile zone spread out from the hearts of Bradenton and Palmetto. They got that earful.

Traffic congestion is not a new issue but a rather old one that defies an easy fix and frustrates city and county officials for the lack of progress.

The Green and DeSoto bridges, the only two spans connecting Bradenton and Palmetto, look like parking lots on occasion -- especially during rush hours, season and spring training, which draws a lot of Pittsburgh Pirates fans. Worries from Palmetto residents about reaching Manatee Memorial Hospital in a timely manner are a grave concern.

On Manatee Avenue West, traffic heading into downtown Bradenton backs up almost 20 blocks during the evening rush hour. Cortez Road isn't much better. Today, we're stuck with only those two east-west arterials, two bridges to Anna Maria Island, and the two across the Manatee River.

In a word, the situation stinks.

FDOT's search for solutions will start to be developed and assessed in the next phase of the study. While the state is obligated to do this, there's only one way to interpret this: Fixes will be slow in coming, about as slow as bridge traffic.

One of the improvements already on FDOT's to-do list is establishing a multi-use trail on the Green Bridge. That's nice but it's also only a minuscule piece of this large-scale puzzle.

Gridlock is here today, will be here tomorrow and likely well into the future. As such, FDOT should put this issue on a fast track now.

This story was originally published April 2, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "FDOT should expedite fixes to Bradenton-Palmetto gridlock ."