WELCOME

Welcome to the project website for the Bradenton/Palmetto Downtown Mobility Study.

The cities of Palmetto and Bradenton are facing escalating traffic congestion and access constraints due to rapid growth in SW Florida. Both bridges linking the cities across the Manatee River experience consistent gridlock during peak hours. Both communities have completed ambitious redevelopment plans and downtown master plans to improve the livability, economic vitality and pedestrian-friendly character of their downtowns. Transportation access and personal mobility are essential to realizing their community development objectives. Both downtowns are employment centers, bisected by regional state highways, and their location means that downtown traffic competes with tourism-related traffic traveling to the beaches and locations in adjacent counties. As residential and non-residential development occurs in the downtowns and surrounding parts of northern and eastern Manatee County, innovative and forward-looking mobility strategies are needed to ensure that the unique character and economic vitality of the downtown areas can be sustained long into the future.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

The study will identify and evaluate transportation projects that improve circulation, access and mobility in downtown Palmetto and Bradenton based on the redevelopment plans of both cities and surrounding areas in Manatee County. Transportation improvements will be linked with the impacts of existing and planned future land use and redevelopment. The study will identify the feasibility of alternative traffic circulation and mobility strategies, and will result in a phased implementation program tied to redevelopment and traffic patterns in the area. Recommendations from the study will include an implementation plan that identifies capital project priorities, funding strategies and policy changes to improve downtown mobility and access. The study will blend technical analysis with public participation to create a mobility improvement plan that leads to consensus on strategies and priorities for the two local governments.

Funding for the Bradenton/Palmetto Downtown Mobility Study is provided with assistance from the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation.

STUDY CONTACTS