County and city officials reviewed Florida Department of Transportation planning and environment (PD&E) work for the DeSoto Bridge replacement and the Bradenton‑Palmetto corridor, with local leaders urging steady pressure on FDOT while acknowledging federal environmental review timelines.

FDOT materials summarized the study phases and identified corridor alternatives being evaluated; county staff said the DeSoto Bridge replacement is in FDOT’s work program for FY 2027 and that the corridor study has narrowed several alternatives and will enter the formal PD&E phase soon. "The replacement bridge is in FDOT, fiscal year '27," Director Buttsko noted during a recap of DOT slides.

Why it matters: Elected officials repeatedly framed the lack of additional river crossings as a chronic bottleneck for downtown Bradenton and said improved capacity, whether by widening, a six‑lane section or an elevated flyover, is needed to keep through traffic out of the downtown core.

Key points and timeline: County and city staff explained the PD&E and corridor evaluation process FDOT is using. County staff and FDOT officials emphasized NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act) requirements and related analyses — which can take multiple years — and said many federally funded projects rely on categorical exclusions where applicable. County Commissioner Bearden urged aggressive standards for capacity, saying "We need 6 lanes instead of 4" if feasible, while other commissioners recommended considering elevated lanes or flyovers to avoid creating pinch points north or south of the river.

Engineering and funding considerations: FDOT’s corridor work has examined multiple alignments (examples cited in the briefing included alternatives linking 27th Street to Ellenton/Glenn and alignments along 15th Street to Canal Road). Staff said corridor evaluations are being tuned to allow for multiuse paths and future capacity increases; project delivery will depend on permitting, environmental review and the availability of state and federal funding.

Local cooperation: Speakers urged coordinated municipal support through the remainder of the PD&E process to reduce the risk of litigation and delay. County staff recommended that Bradenton, Palmetto and the county maintain consistent positions during DOT outreach to hasten decision‑making.

Ending: Officials asked staff to continue close coordination with FDOT and to prepare to brief elected bodies as PD&E milestones are reached. Commissioners highlighted both the need to be patient with federal processes and the desire to keep public‑pressure on funders to keep projects moving toward construction.