MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County drivers sit in a lot of traffic driving between Palmetto and Bradenton.

And with only two bridges for the majority of that traffic, every day is a challenge.

Real Time Traffic Expert Chuck Henson was asked to find out what the state has planned to help make things easier for drivers.

One of those drivers, Brenda Marlow, starts her commute in Largo and ends in Bradenton. She said it seems the last five miles are the worst.

"The last, oh about five miles of my commute take me at least 20 to 30 minutes," Marlow said. "There are days when it's taken me 45 minutes or more for that same stretch of traffic."

Marlow sent video to Spectrum Bay News 9 to prove her point.

"Backed up starting at 17th Street in Palmetto. Usually if it's heavier days, it can be backed up as far back to 23rd or even back to the U.S. 41 Business route split," Marlow said.

The Green Bridge and the DeSoto Bridge just can't handle the amount of traffic that moves between Palmetto and Bradenton at peak times.

While Interstate 75 is right there and could easily connect Marlow to her work, it turns out taking the interstate to either State Route 64 or 70 then across didn't cut off any time.

"It actually took me more miles at the same amount of total time," she said.

Brian Rick from the Florida Department of Transportation says there are short term and long term goals for the bridges.

"These improvements include new traffic signals, median modifications and reconfiguring travel lanes along with numerous others," he said. "The department estimates that these improvements will reduce traffic congestion by as much as 40 percent."

For a long term solution, officials say they'll have to look about 10 years into the future following a series of processes that include everything from design to permits to construction.