Cortez Bridge

The Cortez Bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge that connects the barrier islands of Bradenton Beach, and the mainland of Cortez, Florida. It crosses the Sarasota Bay, carries Cortez Road, part of SR 684, and was built in 1956, replacing a swing bridge built in 1921.^[1]

Cortez Bridge
The Cortez Bridge raising for sailboat in 2012.
Coordinates	27°28′07.6″N 82°41′36.7″W
Carries	SR 684
Crosses	Sarasota Bay
Locale	Bradenton Beach, Florida
Official name	Cortez Bridge
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Design	Bascule
Total length	2,616 feet
Width	37 feet
Clearance above	20 feet
History
Opened	1921 (original bridge) 1956 (current bridge)
Statistics
Daily traffic	15,100
Toll	None
Location

The current bridge was designated by the 1965 Legislature of Florida.

In 2017, the Florida Department of Transportation began plans to replace the Cortez Bridge with a high-level bridge. Construction is expected to begin in the mid-2020's. The new bridge will be 65 feet above the surface, and it will allow 98% of boats to pass underneath.^[2]