Barrier island elected officials draft lists of possible solutions to congestion

Officials from four barrier islands including Longboat Key will send a traffic-solutions wish list to the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation this week.

The wish list is actually two lists – one that details measures that can be implemented more quickly to ease congestion, and another that officials hope will be included in an upcoming FDOT traffic study, according to Town Manager David Bullock.

Many of the items are duplicated on both lists. Items include park-and-ride programs, restricting the frequency of bridge openings (to one hour or less during peak traffic times on certain bridges), a water taxi from downtown Bradenton and roundabouts on Gulf of Mexico Drive at the Broadway Street and Longboat Club Road intersections.

Some suggestions are unique to the list of measures that officials believe can be implemented sooner, such as a manual traffic signal override for law enforcement to optimize traffic flow during heavy beach days.

Bullock said the lists would be finalized and then sent to the MPO and FDOT this week.

Robin Stublen, spokesman for FDOT, said it would consider items from the list for incorporation in an upcoming study, which will cost approximately $675,000. As yet, he said, there is no funding for that study, though FDOT is working on determining its scope.

The FDOT will also consider the the list of suggested short-term implementations, Stublen said.