Does the Cortez Bridge Need to be Replaced?

Should the Cortez Bridge be repaired or replaced?

The Florida Department of Transportation wants to hear from commuters about what they would like to see in improvements in the two lane bridge, which links State Road 684 (Cortez Road) to the island communities, according to the Bradenton Herald.

It has scheduled an informational meeting where officials will talk about the early stages of planning for improvements and also field questions.

The meeting is 4-7 p.m., April 30, at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 6101 Cortez Rd. W.

State officials want to collect ideas from people who use the bridge. They are letting neighboring property owners know about planning for upgrades, according to the Herald.

Replacements could range from a drawbridge to a higher span that is a fixed bridge. It is too early to put a pricetag on the project, officials said.

According to the Longboat Key News:

"The Cortez Bridge was built in 1956 and a Federal Highway System 1989 report recommended a four-lane, fixed span, high-rise bridge be built as a replacement. Officials have said that suggestion is no longer considered feasible for a number of reasons, including the cost of property acquisition."

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