The new bridge over the Manatee River replaces the existing, aging bridge, which has only four travel lanes and does not accommodate pedestrians or bicyclists. The new DeSoto Bridge consists of six 11-foot travel lanes and two 12-foot proposed express lanes, plus a 12-foot shared use path on each side, physically separated from the travel lanes by a barrier. In addition, the new bridge separates the proposed express lanes from the general-use lanes via a buffer, as shown in Figure 7-6. Additional details are provided in Section 5.4.
Bridge Width 164 Feet – 8 Inches
Figure 7-6 – Preferred Alternative Desoto Bridge over the Manatee River
The Preferred Alternative will replace the existing structure DeSoto Bridge with a fixed bridge with navigational clearances of a 40-foot minimum vertical clearance and a 75-foot horizontal clearance.
Beginning just south of US 301, the proposed express lanes in the US 41 median transition from an elevated structure to at-grade to facilitate crossings over US 301 and the CSX Railroad Short Line, allowing shared bridge use and reducing construction costs. North of the DeSoto Bridge, the proposed typical section extends approximately two miles from 25th Street East and consists of a six-lane divided roadway with three 11-foot travel lanes in each direction, 12-foot shared use paths on both sides, and two elevated proposed express lanes within the median. The proposed right-of-way is approximately 176 feet, as conceptually shown in Figure 7-7, with additional details provided in Section 5.4.
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