CORTEZ, Fla. (WWSB) – Crews are expected to break ground this September on a new Cortez Bridge in Manatee County, replacing a drawbridge that has connected the historic fishing village of Cortez to Anna Maria Island for nearly 70 years.
The $123 million project will take approximately four years to complete.
The new bridge will feature a 65-foot-high fixed span, allowing most boats to pass underneath. It will also include wider shoulders to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists…