BRADENTON, Fla. -- The expansion project for the Bradenton Riverwalk is one step closer to becoming reality.
Bradenton city leaders have officially approved the design for the project, which will expand the Riverwalk east from 9th Street East to 14th Street East.
"We've heard it for years, but we weren't sure if it was actually going to happen," said Karen Shoemaker.
Karen and her husband David Shoemaker have lived in Bradenton for 25 years. You can find them walking along the riverwalk every weekend.
"The river walk is one of our favorite things," Karen said. "We absolutely love it."
The two of them will love it, even more, when they can walk even longer.
"It'll be nice to see and be able to explore more areas on our walks," said David.
The expansion will be done in four phases, starting with Mineral Springs Park. It'll include more shaded areas for sitting, more parking, safety enhancements, and much more.
The project is estimated to cost between $6.5 to $7 million to complete. Most of the money will come from the city's half-cent sales tax.
Construction is supposed to start soon.
