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Cortez Bridge Project

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Public Involvement

Cortez Bridge

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Design Public Involvement


Notice of Meeting
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, is hosting a Hybrid (live in-person and online) Public Information Meeting for the Cortez Road (SR 684) bridge replacement design project from Gulf Drive (SR 789) to 123rd Street West in Manatee County. FDOT invites all members of the public to attend. The meeting will focus on bridge details and aesthetics, construction phasing and maintenance of traffic.

The Department is offering two ways to participate in this public information meeting. The live in-person meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church (Pfrangle Hall) located at 6101 Cortez Road, Bradenton, FL 34210. The in-person meeting will be an open house, so you may drop by any time between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to review project materials at your own pace and to ask the project team questions. There will be no formal presentation. Individuals may also review the same meeting materials and provide comments online from Tuesday, January 24, 2023 through February 10, 2023 at the project website (www.swflroads.com/project/430204-2).

The same information will be presented at both the live in-person venue and online at the project website so attending both is not needed. Comments or questions may be submitted either on the project website or to the FDOT Project Manager, Ryan Weeks, at (863) 519‐2837 or ryan.weeks@dot.state.fl.us. A member of the project team will follow up with you to address your question.

FDOT is sending notices to property owners located a minimum of 300 feet on either side of the roadway within the project limits. While comments about the project are accepted at any time, please submit your comments by February 10, 2023, to be included in the meeting summary.

FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Cynthia Sykes, District One Title VI Coordinator, at (863) 519‐2287, or email at cynthia.sykes@dot.state.fl.us at least seven days prior to the public information meeting.

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT.

For more information about the project or public meeting, please contact Mr. Weeks.


Bridge Aesthetics Committee (BAC)

The Florida Department of Transportation has formed a Bridge Aesthetics Committee (BAC) consisting of community representatives from Cortez and Bradenton Beach to provide input on the bridge aesthetics.

BAC Members include:

Joe Adorna (Cortez Park), Mike Bazzy (Bradenton Beach Marina), Karen Bell (Tide Tables), Mayor John Chappie (Bradenton Beach), David Galuska, Connie Morrow (Runaway Bay & Mariners Cove), Ann Marie Nichols (Room with a Hue), Joe Rogers (Seafood Shack), Jeff Vey (Bridgeport Condos), Gloria Weir (Cortez Park), and Bobby Woodsen (Tide Tables).


BAC Meetings and Additional Small Group Meetings during Design

Date Meeting Presentation/Handouts Summary
August 12, 2020 BAC Meeting #1 Presentation Summary
January 6, 2021 BAC Meeting #2 Presentation Summary
January 20, 2021 BAC Meeting #3 Presentation Summary
February 10, 2021 BAC Meeting #4 Presentation Summary
March 1, 2021 Cortez Park Meeting Handout Summary
March 10, 2021 BAC Meeting #5 Presentation Summary
April 1, 2021 BAC Meeting #6 Presentation Summary
April 22, 2021 BAC Meeting #7 Presentation Summary
May 27, 2021 BAC Meeting #8 Presentation Summary
Novemeber 9, 2021 BAC Meeting #9 Presentation Summary

*Future meetings will be added as information becomes available.

To date, the BAC has determined the following (may be altered in final design)

  • Preference is for aesthetically enhanced multi-column pier with a waterline footing. The exterior face of the column would be in line with the exterior face of the bridge deck. Cheekwalls would extend from the top of the pier to the underside of the deck at all pier locations.
  • Preference is for four overlooks, located on the north and south side of the bridge at the two piers on either side of the main channel.
  • Preference for substructure lighting on the exterior faces of the pier columns.
  • A custom “wave” infill pattern is suggested for the bridge pedestrian railings.

PD&E Location and Design Concept Acceptance

On September 18, 2019 the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) granted Location and Design Concept Acceptance for Cortez Bridge on State Road (SR) 684 from SR 789 (Gulf Drive) to 123rd Street West.

Click here to view the Final Documents

PD&E August 31, 2017 Public Hearing

FDOT held a formal public hearing on Thursday, August 31, 2017, at 6 p.m. at the Kirkwood Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 6101 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida. The public hearing informed people of the results of the PD&E study and gave them the opportunity to express their views regarding specific location, design, socio-economic effects, and environmental impacts associated with the viable alternatives, which included a mid-level drawbridge, a high-level fixed bridge, and the No-Build (Repair) Alternative.

Marlon Bizerra, P.E., FDOT project manager, presided at the hearing. Department representatives informally discussed the project with the public at the meeting site for one hour prior to the formal proceedings. The department displayed aerial photographs with the viable alternatives and poster boards. Attendees received a project handout and a comment sheet to complete. The handout included a description of the right-of-way acquisition procedures with particular reference to state and federal relocation assistance programs.

A total of 193 persons signed-in at the public hearing. Following introductory remarks by Mr. Bizerra, FDOT presented a video of the project. The video included a summary of the need for the bridge, advantages and disadvantages of the viable build alternatives and the no-build alternative, and associated socio-economic and environmental effects.

A total of 193 persons signed-in at the Public Hearing including four elected officials and five local agency staff. Twenty-one persons spoke for the record at the hearing, and FDOT received 165 comments in the form of comment sheets submitted at the hearing, submitted on the study web site, e-mails, and letters following the hearing. Of the responses received, 50% favored the No-Build (Repair) Alternative, and 38% favored bridge replacement. Of the responses that favored replacement, 75% favored the 65-foot High-Level Fixed-Bridge Alternative and 24% favored the 35-foot Mid-Level Drawbridge Alternative. Some comment sheets were submitted with multiple preferences indicated.

 

PD&E August 31, 2017 Public Hearing Materials

   

 

Click the items below to view

Display Materials

 

Concept Display Boards

PD&E Project Reports from the Public Hearing

 

PD&E August 9, 2016 Alternatives Public Meeting #2

FDOT held a second alternatives public meeting on August 9, 2016, to display alternatives developed to address the deteriorating structural condition and substandard features of Cortez Bridge. A total of 179 people attended the two-hour, open house meeting at Saint Bernard Catholic Church activity center in Holmes Beach. Staff discussed the alternatives with people who watched a project video and viewed aerial photographs with the alternatives and numerous poster board displays.

FDOT has received 426 completed comment sheets to date.
Results are as follows:

  • No Build (Repair) – 29%
  • Replacement – 67%
    • 21-foot drawbridge – 7%
    • 35-foot drawbridge – 27%
    • 65-foot fixed bridge – 64%

(Note: No-Build (Repair), Replacement and Other percentages do not add to 100% due to comment sheets with multiple preferences.)

The Department reviewed the comments and, together with engineering and environmental analyses, refined the viable build alternatives. Then, we conducted a thorough analysis of potential environmental effects and document the findings in several reports. We also continued coordination with local governmental entities. The recommended build alternatives and the No-Build (Repair) alternative was presented at a formal public hearing where comments were solicited again. The hearing was held on August 31, 2017.


Click the items below to view

Display Boards

Concept Display Boards

PD&E August 28, 2014 Alternatives Public Meeting

FDOT held an alternatives public meeting on August 28, 2014, to display alternatives developed to address the deteriorating structural condition and substandard features of Cortez Bridge. Eighty-six people attended the open house at Saint Bernard Catholic Church activity center in Holmes Beach. Staff discussed the alternatives with people who watched a project video and viewed aerial photographs with the alternatives and numerous poster board displays.

FDOT received about 59 completed comment sheets at the public meeting and in the comment period that followed the meeting.  Results are as follows:

  • No-Build (Repair) – 15%
  • Rehabilitation – 17%
  • Replace – 59%
    • Low-level drawbridge – 8%
    • Mid-level drawbridge – 43%
    • High-level fixed bridge –  40%

(Note:  Percentages do not add to 100% due to comments with multiple preferences)


Click the items below to view

Display Boards

Concept Display Boards

PD&E April 30, 2013 Public Kickoff Meeting

FDOT held a public kickoff meeting on April 30, 2013, early in the PD&E study process. About 170 people attended the three-hour open house at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church fellowship hall in Bradenton.

Staff discussed project issues with people who viewed aerial photographs of the existing bridge and the surrounding study area. A video explained the study process.

FDOT distributed surveys by U.S. mail and received almost 851 completed surveys. We also received 38 written comment sheets, letters and e-mails through the study website.

 

Click the items below to view

PD&E Survey Results

The results of the completed surveys received in April and May indicate:

• 51% favor further rehabilitation of Cortez Bridge
• 46% favor replacement of the bridge


Of those in favor of bridge replacement:
• 32% prefer a high-level fixed bridge
• 8% would like a mid-level drawbridge
• 5% prefer a low-level drawbridge
• 1% favor another option

We received surveys from the following locations:

  Rehabilitation Replacement
  • 11% -- Anna Maria
  • 09% -- Bradenton
  • 18% -- Bradenton Beach
  • 16% -- Cortez
  • 28% -- Holmes Beach
  • 01% -- Longboat Key
  • 17% -- Other
  • 54%
  • 36%
  • 52%
  • 62%
  • 45%
  • 14%
  • 58%
  • 43%
  • 58%
  • 39%
  • 33%
  • 50%
  • 86%
  • 33%

Interests listed most often on returned surveys include roadway traffic, access to the mainland, storm/emergency evacuation and bridge replacement types.

PD&E Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival


FDOT staffed a booth at the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival on February 16 and 17, 2013. The study team handed out surveys to kick off the Cortez Bridge PD&E study. A total of 168 surveys were received with results indicating 51% favored rehabilitation, which extends the service life of the bridge by 25 years, and 45% favored replacement of the bridge. Of those who preferred bridge replacement, 51% preferred a high-level fixed bridge, 23% preferred a mid-level drawbridge, 14% preferred a low-level drawbridge, and 8% had no preference. Note that 10 surveys indicated a preference for more than one of the above three bridge options; therefore, they were not counted in the results above. Responses to the survey indicated an interest in minimizing the impact on the community, traffic and environmental resources, and to maintain the island aesthetics. There were comments stating an interest in repairing the existing structure, improving safety, and providing wider sidewalks, and protected bike lanes. All of the comments received were taken into consideration in the development of the alternatives.

Survey  
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