HomeCommunity NewsBradenton BeachSewer project in Bradenton...

Sewer project in Bradenton Beach will impact residents, visitors and traffic

BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County’s sewer rehabilitation project will begin soon along the west side of Gulf Drive South. The county project is expected to impact traffic and parking along Gulf Drive South and the adjacent side streets for the next year and a half to two years.

On Jan. 12, several Manatee County staff members and Woodruff & Sons construction firm employees participated in a public information meeting at Bradenton Beach City Hall that was attended by more than 50 people. In that informal setting, county and construction company representatives explained the project and answered questions posed by attendees. Project maps and illustrations were also displayed.

Sewer project in Bradenton Beach will impact residents, visitors and traffic
More than 50 people attended the project-related public information meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Ogden Clark serves as strategic affairs manager for Manatee County’s Public Works Department. He said the mobilization of equipment and materials will begin this week and the work is expected to start the following week.

Sewer project in Bradenton Beach will impact residents, visitors and traffic
Strategic Affairs Manager Ogden Clark was among the county staff members present at the public information meeting.

“We realize this project is going to affect businesses, rental companies, residents and visitors, but there’s a definite benefit to the project that will improve the county sewer system that’s out here today,” Clark said.

Funded by utility rate revenues and debt service, the $8.1 million project has an estimated September 2024 completion date. Clark said the two-year project was going to require peak season work no matter when it started and the materials and the contractor are available now.

Woodruff & Sons employee Chad Wakeman said, “We’re trying to minimize the impacts on Gulf Drive. We’ll do the main line first, which will not really affect Gulf Drive. When we come across Gulf Drive (into the side streets), we’ll do the bypass into the Cortez Beach parking lot so we’ll have two lanes of traffic going at all times.”

Woodruff and Sons will not be working nights and weekends and the multi-use trail on the west side of Gulf Drive South and the bike lane along the east side of the road will remain open.

More details

Woodruff & Sons’ Matt Anderson said the first phase of work will occur along Gulf Drive, from Sixth Street South to 10th Street South. Those four blocks of the Cortez Beach parking lot will be closed and remain closed for approximately four months. As the project progresses south, the parking lot closures will shift accordingly and the parking areas where the work has been completed will reopen. Anderson said approximately 100 Cortez Beach parking spaces will be closed at any given time.

Sewer project in Bradenton Beach will impact residents, visitors and traffic
This graphic illustrates the work that will take place on the residential side streets. – Manatee County | Submitted

He said 12th Street South will be the first side street to be closed to vehicular traffic and he expects that to happen in July.

“For 4 to 6 weeks, you’re not going to have vehicular access to those properties,” Anderson said of the side street closures that will force residents, visitors and rental guests to park in designated parking areas across the street at Cortez Beach while the work takes place.

Clark said the county hopes to provide at least a month’s notice before a side street is closed to vehicular traffic.

Anderson said inaccurate utility line surveys often present unforeseen challenges.

“Everything’s subject to change. We could blow through this and have nothing go wrong or we could get out here and have all kinds of problems. We’re going to hit a water line. We’re going to take out a phone line. I guarantee it,” he said.

One attendee noted the city recently undergrounded the utility lines along Gulf Drive South and several of the same side streets to be impacted by the sewer project.

“They have to mark it and we have to work around it, “Anderson said.

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said he appreciates the county’s outreach efforts that will also include reaching out to impacted residents, vacation rental owners and property management companies.

“Everybody needs to know what’s going on and prepare for it. It’s not going to be fun; it’s not going to be pretty; but infrastructure needs to be replaced. This stuff’s more than 50 years old,” Chappie said.

Clark advises residents, property owners, business owners and visitors to frequently check the project website and to also sign up for email updates.

“We’ll do our best to keep you informed,” Clark said.

Sewer project in Bradenton Beach will impact residents, visitors and traffic
The project map was displayed at the information meeting and is posted at the project website. – Manatee County | Submitted

Most Popular

More from Author

Six charter amendments proposed

ANNA MARIA –The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee is propos­ing six...

AMI Moose Lodge hosts kids’ Easter party

BRADENTON BEACH – Due to rainy weather, Saturday morning’s Easter egg...

Business owners oppose multi-use path extension

ANNA MARIA – Some business owners are concerned about the city’s...

Anna Maria seeks to amend CBD prohibitions

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria is trying to...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...