Support dominates at Fort Hamer Bridge public meeting

Nearly 400 people came out — most in support — to comment on the proposed Fort Hamer Bridge project at a public meeting yesterday that the U.S. Coast Guard chaired.

Supporters of the two-lane bridge, which would connect Fort Hamer Park to Upper Manatee River Road, providing an alternative north/south transportation route between areas east of I-75, wore green shirts reading, “For our bridge.”

The consensus was such that the meeting ended at 5:38 p.m., well before the scheduled 6:30 p.m. end time.

“I saw overwhelming support for the bridge,” said Ron Schulhofer, Manatee County director of public works.
“It’s awesome to see the community involved with it. We’re heading in the right direction to build a necessary north-south bridge. Now, we wait.”

Those who attended the meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto, commented on a draft of the URS Corp.’s environmental-impact statement.

The U.S. Coast Guard released the statement June 25.

The Coast Guard required Manatee County to expand its environmental impact statement to include the Rye Road Bridge and determine whether it could meet the county’s need for a north-south route, after residents from Waterlefe, in July 2010, rallied against the two-lane bridge project.

Expanding the EIS cost the county more than $250,000.

Most in attendance agreed with URS’ draft that the Fort Hamer Bridge is the best option, better than the other two alternatives — the Rye Bridge alternative, which would include expanding the bridge and nearby roads from two to four lanes, and doing nothing.

From the time after the public comment period ends Aug. 19, the Coast Guard will assemble comments and apply them to a Final Environmental Impact Statement with a final recommendation and approval.

To comment, go to regulations.gov; call 202-493-2251; send mail to: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC, 20590-0001; or call the docket management facility at 202-366-9329.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].