Existing conditions along US 301 and US 41 in the project area were identified from GIS data, as-built construction plans, FDOT Roadway Characteristics Inventory, Straight-Line Diagrams, right-of-way maps, field reviews, survey information, and supporting technical studies and reports.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) completed the Bradenton-Palmetto Connector Alternative Corridor Evaluation (ACE) Study to identify, evaluate, and recommend improvement alternatives for a crossing of the Manatee River to enhance the connectivity between Bradenton, Palmetto, and adjacent communities. The ACE Study was completed in March 2025 and covered ten alternative corridors with a recommendation of the highest ranking three alternatives for further review.

After the ACE Study was completed, further analysis was done to evaluate the three corridors. The analysis includes refined future traffic projections and origin-destination analysis to more closely examine whether the three selected alternatives continue to meet the ACE Study's purpose and need, based on the best-performing lane configurations for each Corridor. In Addition, the three Corridors were also screened in the Programming Screen through the Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) process to obtain comments from the Environmental Technical Advisory Team (ETAT).

Results of additional environmental and engineering analysis, along with a review of input from local agencies, ETAT, and the public, led to the elimination of two Corridors (B and D) and the selection of Corridor A for study in this PD&E. The corridors elimination memo is available in the project file and uploaded to the StateWide Environmental Project Tracker (SWEPT).

In 2025, FDOT District One (D1) completed a PD&E study for the Hernando DeSoto (DeSoto) Bridge (structure #130053) Replacement from westbound SR 64 (Manatee Avenue) to Haben Boulevard in Manatee County, Florida (FPID 442630-1-22-01, ETDM 14510). That study evaluated an in-kind bridge replacement only and did not include capacity improvements. The DeSoto Bridge Replacement limits are encompassed within this current PD&E study, the Bradenton-Palmetto Connector, which evaluates the bridge's replacement to accommodate the capacity needed within the project study area.

Existing land use along the corridor includes commercial, residential, retail, and public uses. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities are discontinuous along the corridor. The Florida Department of Emergency Management identifies the corridor as an emergency evacuation route and a critical

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