Some drivers are taking matters into their own hands to keep from waiting in line at a busy Bradenton intersection.
- No right turn lane on 43rd Street at Cortez Boulevard
- Some drivers cut through businesses, which is illegal
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The problem area is southbound on 43rd Street into the light at Cortez Boulevard.
"All the way to the next light, probably at least a half a mile," resident Rick Blevins said when asked about the traffic backup.
There are two southbound lanes at the light: one left-turn lane and the through lane.
A right on red is legal at the through lane, but drivers apparently get impatient at the stopped cars in front of them. A right turn lane would make the overall wait less for everyone.
Blevins said some drivers get creative to keep from waiting in line.
"You do see a lot of people cutting through CVS, or sometimes if you're smart enough, people cutting through Ironwood and Pinebrook to get to Cortez," he said.
A blue Corvette was one of several vehicles observed by Spectrum Bay News 9 entering the parking lot off 43rd Street and out on the other side at Cortez.
That action is illegal in Florida and could result in a $158 fine and driver's license points.
"Just widen it up a little bit and put a right turn lane in," Blevins said. "You've got the folks here in the middle that can go straight, people in the right turn lane can turn right and everybody can get to where they're going, on time."
There is plenty of available right of way on both sides of the road. According to Nick Azzara with Manatee County, they are budgeting now for many new projects.
Real Time Traffic Expert Chuck Henson looked at the list of projects on the books funded by the half-cent tax. Almost $16 million has been allocated for improvements on 43rd Street, but that work does not include the intersection.