The lot reopened later Thursday afternoon, according to Manatee County Government.<\/p>\n
Before the upgrades, flooding at Coquina Beach was a problem for the county\u2019s tourism and residents, according to the Bradenton Herald previously reported<\/a>. The area would sometimes experience flooding of 6 to 18 inches during heavy rainfalls.<\/p>\n Former Manatee County Commissioner and current Holmes Beach Commissioner Carol Whitmore previously described the old Coquina Beach lot as \u201ca lake every time it rains.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2020, the county replaced the dirt parking lot<\/a> with a pervious concrete surface that allows water to drain through the surface, unlike traditional concrete. The parking lot was also striped and marked to improve traffic flow.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the 2020 improvements, similar rain events would often leave portions of the lot flooded for days, requiring extended closures,\u201d Ogden Clark, a county spokesperson, said in an email to the Bradenton Herald. \u201cAlthough heavy downpours can still cause temporary flooding, the duration of standing water and associated closures has been substantially reduced as a result of the drainage improvements.\u201d<\/p>\n However, according to Clark, Wednesday night\u2019s rain was enough to flood the lot, even with the improved drainage. The area received about 2.5 inches of rain in less than an hour, with the 24-hour rainfall totals around 3.2 to 3.4 inches.<\/p>\n \u201cRainfall of this intensity can temporarily overwhelm even improved drainage infrastructure, leading to short-term standing water in the parking lot,\u201d Clark said.<\/p>\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/BRD_tt_coquina_drainage_ent.jpeg\" "\\"BRD_tt_coquina_drainage_ent\\"")
A construction project that saw the removal of several Australian Pine trees in exchange for a paved parking lot and improved drainage at Coquina Beach is nearly complete. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com <\/p>\n The south end of the parking lot at Coquina Beach was closed \u201cdue to heavy rain overnight,\u201d according to a Facebook post by Manatee County. Construction of the lot there was completed in 2020 to alleviate constant flooding, shown on May 28, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com
The south end of the parking lot at Coquina Beach was closed \u201cdue to heavy rain overnight,\u201d according to a Facebook post by Manatee County. Construction of the lot there was completed in 2020 to alleviate constant flooding, shown on May 28, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com <\/p>\n