Bradenton City Council Approves Partial Bridge Closure for Boat Race

BRADENTON – At a special meeting on Wednesday, the Bradenton City Council approved a resolution requesting that the Florida Department of Transportation close part of the 8th Avenue West Bridge during the 2015 Power Boat Regatta.

The bridge, which connects Bradenton to Palmetto, will now have its northbound lanes shut down for part of one day in February.

A motion to approve the resolution succeeded in a 3-0 vote, with Councilmen Patrick Roff and Gene Brown absent from the meeting.

A joint venture between Bradenton and Palmetto, the two-day Formula 2 powerboat racing event will be viewable from the Riverwalk. Attendance for the racing festival has been estimated to be as high as 75,000.