additionally projected to grow from 55,879 in 2023 to 61,937 in 2050, or by 10.84%. Likewise, the population of the City of Palmetto is expected to increase from 13,200 in 2023 to 14,248 in 2050, or by 7.94%. Data trends show population growth predominantly occurring within eastern Manatee County. Over ten Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) in Manatee County have been or will be built near I-75.
Table 1-4 – Population Growth (2023 – 2050)
| Historic Population Growth (1980 – 2020) |
| Region | 2023 | 2050 | Net Change | 2023 – 2050
% Growth Rate |
|---|
| City of Bradenton | 55,879 | 61,937 | 6,058 | 10.84% |
|---|
| City of Palmetto | 13,200 | 14,248 | 1,048 | 7.94% |
|---|
| Manatee County | 421,846 | 632,125 | 210,279 | 49.85% |
|---|
| Source: Sarasota/Manatee MPO 2050 LRTP. |
The 2050 LRTP forecast also anticipates approximately 80,000 new jobs within Manatee County by 2050. In addition, Manatee County and the City of Bradenton are popular tourist destinations. The Business Observer reported that Manatee County hosted 3.8 million visitors in 2023.
While the street grid systems within the Cities of Bradenton and Palmetto offer more travel and circulation choices, all travelers crossing the Manatee River are limited to using the three existing bridges.
According to the Signal Four Analytics crash database (S4), all three river crossings (roadway segment with bridge) are experiencing a higher number of crashes compared to similar FDOT District One and statewide roadway facilities for the 2020 to 2024 five-year period. Of these crashes, a total of eight fatal and 64 serious injury crashes were reported. Rear-end and sideswipe collisions were identified as the most frequent crash types, indicating network congestion. Table 1-5 presents the crash statistics for all three river crossings.
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