Bridge talk appears to be stalled

It’s not a topic for discussion at the Manatee County workshop for its five-year Capital Improvement Program, but the possible construction of a Tara Bridge is likely to be mentioned.

Those opposing or advocating construction of the bridge plan to attend the June 16 workshop even though the item is not funded in the five-year Capital Improvement Program. Their only opportunity to voice any kind of opinion could come during a public comment period at the end the meeting.

County officials, however, will not be talking about it.

“We don’t talk about unfunded projects at that meeting,” County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said.

Hunzeker and county commissioners have indicated the county’s spending priority is to complete 44th Avenue East, which ultimately will connect Cortez Road in the west to Lorraine Road in Lakewood Ranch. 

“It’s designed and engineered,” Hunzeker said of the project. “It’s almost through permitting. We’ve spent millions on right of way. That would be a bad business decision for us to be this far along and stop.”

The construction of a Tara Bridge remains a “project of record,” meaning it has no timeline or funding for construction designated. Hunzeker said a Tara Bridge project would need to be funded through impact fees because it is a “capacity-related project.”

For the Tara Bridge project to advance, the board would have to shift impact fee dollars from the 44th Avenue East project to Tara Bridge. County officials made it clear that isn’t going to happen.

“You can talk about anything you want,” At-large Commissioner Carol Whitmore said. “It’s really a budgetary thing. When we discussed (a Tara Bridge) at our last meeting, we all said it’s not going to happen, not for years.”

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said she won’t support shifting dollars away from the 44th Avenue East project, either.

“We need to finish 44th because that truly is going to affect the entire traffic pattern from Cortez all the way to Lakewood Ranch,” Baugh said. “On the priority level, 44th is much higher than the Tara Bridge.”