As Manatee County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) prepare for the Cortez Bridge replacement, utility work and road closures are affecting communities east of the bridge.

Manatee County Strategic Affairs Manager Ogden Clark confirmed on Feb. 11 that 127th Street West, which connects Cortez Road West to neighborhoods including Cove Sound Yacht Club and Mariner’s Cove, will close later this month or in early March. The closure is expected to last through late spring.

The $8.8 million Intracoastal Watermain project involves relocating water mains along Cortez Road West between the mainland and Anna Maria Island. The county will post message boards ahead of the closure and has launched an outreach campaign.

The Cortez Bridge replacement, an estimated $77 million project, will replace the existing 17-foot bascule drawbridge with a 65-foot fixed-span structure. FDOT plans to advertise bids on Feb. 25, 2026, with construction beginning mid-2026.

Officials plan to complete the Cortez Bridge before starting work on the Anna Maria Island Bridge, scheduled for funding in 2029.

Source: The Islander, Pulse of Manatee