Bradenton’s water taxi service can’t start until Anna Maria, Manatee agree on pier

Before water taxi service can start in Bradenton, the City of Anna Maria is negotiating with Manatee County Government on how passengers would board and disembark at the Anna Maria City Pier.

Instead of modifying the pier with a floating dock that would exclusively serve the water taxi, city officials say they have a better idea.

“Why not make a modification to the boat, rather than the pier?” said Mayor Dan Murphy. “That would take a lot less time and money.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would need to sign off on any modification to the pier.

The last time the City of Anna Maria needed to request a permit from the Corps was after Hurricane Irma destroyed the old city pier in 2017. It took more than a year to get the permit to rebuild the pier at a cost of nearly $7 million, Murphy said.

Equipping the water taxi with a gangway would allow passengers to enter or leave the 50-foot catamarans by way of an existing pier landing and not require any modification to the pier, Murphy said.

The two water taxis, Miss Anna Maria and the Downtown Duchess, arrived in Bradenton in July, after several years of planning and $950,000 of tourist bed-tax money, approved by the Manatee County Commission in November.

Murphy and Elliott Falcione, executive director of The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, downplayed the latest stumbling block to launching the water taxi service.

“We agree on all the details,” Murphy said. “We are really excited about the water taxi.”

In addition to the beachgoers that the water taxi would transport, taking motor vehicles off busy roads, the taxi could become a way for workers to get to their jobs on Anna Maria Island, Murphy said.

“Most of the people who work on the island can’t afford to live here,” Murphy said.

Murphy said that he had met recently with Kevin Van Ostenbridge, chairman of the Manatee County Commission, and Falcione on the boarding issue.

“Kevin is very supportive of what I requested in the last meeting we had,” Murphy said.

Added Falcione: “The mayor and I have great communication and we expect to have a plan very soon for the water ferry. We want to work with the city and the water ferry operator. It will get done.”

Initially, the water taxi service would start at the day dock along the Bradenton Riverwalk with stops at the Anna Maria Island Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier and one of the boat ramps near Coquina Beach.

The two water taxis are now docked at Twin Dolphin Marina, and the first Bradenton-based boat captain has been hired.

This week, Coast Guard sea trials are scheduled to begin, a prerequisite to starting the water taxi service.

Falcione declined to forecast a starting date for the service, noting the history of hurdles the taxi service has had to navigate to become a reality.

Fares would be $8 for one-way trips or $10 for an all-day pass, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.

Special pricing would be available for children and seniors. The two catamarans have a 49-passenger capacity and a crew of two.

Gulf Islands Water Taxi, the operator of the Gulf Islands Ferry service, is based in Clearwater.

“This is just the start of providing multi-modal transportation to our residents and visitors,” Falcione previously said. “We look forward to continuing to provide easy, accessible travel opportunities throughout Manatee County.”