Longboat Key to open for residents Friday

After a day of assessing Longboat Key and clearing debris, the town will be open to residents and employees Friday morning.

Town Manager Howard Tipton said town crews spent the day assessing damage and working with the Florida Department of Transportation to clear debris from the island.

Hurricane Milton brought high winds over 100 mph to Longboat Key, which resulted in downed trees and vegetation debris. The storm surge impact was much less than what Milton was shaping up to be, though.

Tipton stayed at the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center and watched Hurricane Milton’s track going toward Longboat Key on Wednesday night.

“You just kind of get this sick feeling in your stomach, it’s like your worst imagination,” Tipton said about watching Milton’s track. “But then you take your emotion out of it and get ready to respond.”

Those preparations included making sure the town’s first-in team was ready to enter the island at first daylight, and coordinating with other agencies like the National Guard and surrounding police departments.

When speaking with the Observer on Thursday evening, Tipton said he thought Longboat Key would take a direct hit, which he said would have been the worst-case scenario.

“In my mind, you just picture what a 15 foot storm surge would do and the power of that water. It would have redefined Longboat Key for generations,” Tipton said.

On the island now, Tipton said there is standing water in some places where the island usually has standing water.

There’s also still no power, water or wastewater and Tipton still had no estimate as to when the utilities would be back on.

Still, the island will open to residents tomorrow.

“We’re encouraging people to come out, check on their properties, secure everything they need to and then consider heading back to the mainland for the night,” Tipton said.

The north-end entrance through Bradenton Beach will be open starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 11. The south-end entrance will also be open tomorrow after the City of Sarasota opens the south Ringling Causeway access, making adjustments to create a two-way road out of one of the bridge’s two-lane roads.

Overall, Tipton said he was feeling blessed that the island was spared from what could have been massive impacts from Hurricane Milton. Now, he said, the community has a chance to clean up and recover.