Cut Tara Bridge from county plan

Other than for the self-serving wants of very few people, there is no need to build a bridge across the Braden River to connect Tara Boulevard and Honore Avenue.

Some say the bridge is needed for emergency reasons. Does this mean they feel that Manatee County commissioners erred and put citizens’ lives at risk by approving the building of homes before having proper emergency services? That is an insult to the commissioners.

Some say the bridge will alleviate traffic on SR 70. How is a small north-south street going to alleviate traffic on a main east-west road?

Funds are being spent to expand 44th Avenue to alleviate east-west traffic. Also, taxpayer money is needed to repair the DeSoto Bridge, a repair which would positively affect thousands of people.

There are a few citizens who think that the Tara-Honore Bridge should be built so they are not inconvenienced by using Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, Lockwood Ridge Road, or the interstate to travel to the University area. Yet these citizens moved into their homes with full knowledge of the available routes to take to get across the Braden River.

The Manatee County commissioners are meeting June 16 to discuss the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). It is time for the commissioners to agree that the Tara-Honore Bridge is a waste of taxpayer money and will positively affect only a few citizens who want the bridge for their convenience and who aren’t considering the cost or the environment.

This bridge would be a waste of all Manatee County taxpayers’ money.

It’s time for the Manatee County Commissioners to remove this project permanently from the CIP.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Cut Tara Bridge from county plan."