# Cortez Bridge

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cortez_Bridge
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cortez_Bridge.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortez_Bridge
> Source revision: 1285849930
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Bridge in Florida, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name=Cortez Bridge
|image=Cortezbridgeopen.jpg
|caption=The Cortez Bridge raising for sailboat in 2012.
|official_name=Cortez Bridge
|carries={{jct|state=FL|SR|684}}
|crosses=[Sarasota Bay](/source/Sarasota_Bay)
|locale=[Bradenton Beach](/source/Bradenton_Beach%2C_Florida), [Florida](/source/Florida)
|maint=[Florida Department of Transportation](/source/Florida_Department_of_Transportation)
|id=
|design=[Bascule](/source/Bascule_bridge)
|mainspan=
|length=2,616 feet
|width=37 feet
|height=
|load=
|clearance=20 feet
|below=
|traffic=15,100
|begin=
|complete=
|open=1921 (original bridge)<br>1956 (current bridge)
|closed=
|toll=None
|map_image=
|map_width=
|coordinates={{coord|27|28|07.6|N|82|41|36.7|W}}
}}

The '''Cortez Bridge''' is a double-leaf [bascule bridge](/source/bascule_bridge) that connects the [barrier island](/source/barrier_island)s of [Bradenton Beach](/source/Bradenton_Beach), and the [mainland](/source/mainland) of [Cortez](/source/Cortez%2C_Florida), [Florida](/source/Florida). It crosses the [Sarasota Bay](/source/Sarasota_Bay), carries [Cortez Road](/source/Florida_State_Road_684), part of [SR 684](/source/Florida_State_Road_684), and was built in 1956, replacing a 
swing bridge built in 1921.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BridgeReports.com {{!}} SR-684 (Cortez Rd) over Sarasota Pass, Manatee County, Florida|url=https://bridgereports.com/1079975|access-date=2020-10-15|website=bridgereports.com}}</ref>

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

In 2017, the [Florida Department of Transportation](/source/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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cortez Drawbridge to Come Down, Be Replaced By Span Bridge|url=https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2019/10/11/fdot--cortez-drawbridge-will-be-coming-down|access-date=2020-09-20|website=www.baynews9.com|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== See also ==
*[Anna Maria Island Bridge](/source/Anna_Maria_Island_Bridge)
*[Longboat Pass Bridge](/source/Longboat_Pass_Bridge)

{{Bridges of Florida}}

Category:Bridges in Florida
Category:Buildings and structures in Bradenton, Florida
Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Manatee County, Florida

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cortez Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortez_Bridge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortez_Bridge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.