Anna Maria Islander's Report Mixed Experiences as a Result of Bridge Closure...
Well, its a week into the Anna Maria Island bridge closure, and according to local news reports, "though residents and businesses braced for the 45-day closure this week, organizing a community market, concert and mini golf tournament to stave off business losses, it's unclear whether this weekend's planned Bridging the Gap events have that much of a gap to bridge."
After seven days of our beloved bridge being closed to traffic for repairs, local shops, restaurants and commuters are reporting mixed traffic and business experiences.
According to businesses on Cortez Road, traffic is pretty much normal. A little better than normal actually, according to some. On the other hand, businesses in Holmes Beach are reporting mixed experiences.
According to Chef David Woolheater, of Cafe on the Beach in Holmes Beach, business at the popular eatery has been slow but steady throughout the week despite the bridge closure. It remains to be seen how the bridge closure will affect business this weekend.
When talking to local area residence, they say the drive to Anna Maria hasn't worsened since the bridge closure, and that at this point they really don't think it will.
Lou Nassar, of Cortez Market, said there's been no effect on his grocery business what so ever, a business he's owned for 30 years. He says he expected the opposite. With the anticipated bridge closure, he expected that the increase in traffic to and from Anna Maria Island would congest the roadway and result in less business. "Business should be slower when the traffic is heavy, but the traffic is not heavy."
John Gunther, manager of the Beach House restaurant in Bradenton Beach, claims business during the first week of the bridge closure was in line with the season. Jophn says it's the slow season from late April to the end of November anyway, and everything considered business is as it should be.
According to Nautical Gift store owner, Jan Holman, business has improved since the bridge closure. "There's more traffic," she says. "People that would take Manatee Avenue now take Cortez Avenue and are popping into The Sea Hagg."
For some business owners the bridge closure has taken a toll. For example, Melinda Lampariello, owner of Melinda's Cafe and Catering, the detour has struck a definite blow. Rather than the normal lunch crowd of 20-30 people, she said, only a family of three was visiting Melinda's dining room Friday afternoon.
"I think it's the bridge and all of the events going on," she said. To cope, Lampariello is closing for vacation today and reopening in a week. She hopes several catering jobs will make up for the loss, but said she'll miss the financial boost she normally gets from big-ticket food sales.
As far as the actual traffic itself?
"We drive everyday, and we haven't really noticed a difference," said traffic signal technician Nick Wessesser.
When you ask local commuters, most say traffic has been far less of a problem than originally predicted, and that the trip from the mainland to Cortez - originally expected to manifest into a bottleneck due to the influx of drivers who'd normally be using the Anna Maria Bridge - is still just 20 to 30 minutes... about what you would expect on a normal day, without any bridge closure.
Of course, it could be that some commuters are simply staying home in anticipation of the predicted traffic fiasco. In short, its only been a week. Once people realize that many of the traffic problems originally predicted have not materialized... more may begin to venture out into the mix.
Bottom line is it's still early on into the lengthy Anna Maria Island bridge closure. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the worst is not yet to come.
Let's hope Holman, who lives on Anna Maria Island, is right when she says, "traffic is as smooth as it could be."
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