Heavy rains have created a hole in a bridge leading to the popular tourist destination of Anna Maria Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The damage was to a section of the Manatee Avenue Bridge that had previously been repaired, an agency spokesman told the Bradenton Herald. Crews were sent in to make emergency repairs.
“Recent heavy rainfall has caused a previously repaired section of concrete to deteriorate,” said Janella Newsome, director of public information for the transportation agency.
The Bradenton area has been dealing with heavy rainfall in recent weeks, with nearly 12 inches of rain falling in a single day during Hurricane Debby, which also caused historic flooding. According to the National Weather Service, Bradenton has received 6 inches of rain in the past week.
The bridge was closed to eastbound traffic on Wednesday, Aug. 28, because of the hole, but reopened the next morning with traffic moving in both directions without delay, multiple agencies said. Newsome said repairs had to be temporarily delayed because of bad weather, but after the rain subsided, crews worked through the night to complete them.
A photo posted to social media by Holmes Beach police showed a hole in the road, revealing the rebar in the bridge.
When will the old island bridge be replaced?
The bridge, which was built in 1957, is scheduled for replacement, but a new bridge is still several years away, according to FDOT officials.
Despite the aging bridge and the potential for more rain as hurricane season continues, Newsome said the bridge is still safe.
“The bridge is safe and will be monitored until replacement begins in approximately four years,” Newsome said.
The bridge is one of three low-rise drawbridges serving Anna Maria Island that were built in the 1950s. Two of them — the Cortez Bridge and the Manatee Avenue Bridge — are being replaced by high-rise bridges.
The project, including road improvements, will span 1.91 miles (3.11 kilometers) from East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach to Perico Bay Boulevard along Manatee Avenue, with construction scheduled for 2029, according to the FDOT website.
The new bridge is expected to be built about 14 feet south of the existing bridge and will provide 65 feet of vertical navigation space, FDOT said. Existing plans show it will consist of two 12-foot lanes in each direction with 11-foot shoulders for emergency vehicles to pass and 10-foot sidewalks on each side of the bridge.
Planned improvements include a pedestrian and bike path under each end of the bridge, landscaping and lighting. FDOT also plans to work with Manatee County to explore the construction of an artificial reef made from recycled waste and improvements to the Kingfish Boat Ramp.
The project is expected to cost $138 million and is currently unfunded, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.
