Have your say on bridge

Anna Maria Island residents are being asked for their views on the future of the Anna Maria Island Bridge. The bridge, currently in the final stages of a $10.1 million refurbishment, is a hot topic of debate among planners and locals alike.
The Florida Department of Transportation is seeking comments on the future of the structure by December 31, following a workshop at St Bernard Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 16.
The workshop spelled out the options FDOT is considering for the future of the 51 year old drawbridge and public comments will be considered while planning which course to take.
Those options, according to the Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper, include whether to further rehabilitate the current structure, or replace it with a new one. There are three choices for a replacement: a 21-foot-high drawbridge, a 45-foot-high drawbridge or a 65-foot-high fixed-span bridge. Other choices include whether to build the new bridge a little to the north or the south of the current bridge and whether to have sidewalks on both sides of the bridge roadway or just one side.
You can get a copy of the questionnaire that FDOT handed out at the workshop by logging onto http://www.annamariaislandbridge.com/pi.htm and click on the “Workshop Survey” sheet, print it out, fill it out and mail it to the address on the page.