Longboat has a Bradenton Beach traffic problem

Longboat has a Bradenton Beach traffic problem

When Maureen Merrigan plans get-togethers with her family in Cortez, she schedules based on the weather and time of day.That’s because on a good beach day, that 15-minute trip to the mainland from her home on the northern end of Longboat Key can become an hour-long drive.To get to Cortez from the northern end of Longboat Key, she has to drive through the southern end of Anna Maria Island. Rows of short-term rentals, restaurants, bars and the Bri…