Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Manasquan River, NJ

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of temporary deviation from regulations and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the drawbridge operation regulations to test an alternate drawbridge operation regulation for the Route 70 Bridge across Manasquan River, mile 3.4, at Riviera Beach, New Jersey. Under this temporary 90-day deviation, the draw of the bridge will open on signal on the hour, except that from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day the draw need not be opened. The purpose of this temporary deviation is to test an alternate drawbridge operation schedule for 90 days and solicit comments from the public.

DATES:

This deviation is effective from May 1, 2004, through July 29, 2004. Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before August 31, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

You may mail comments and related material to Commander (obr), Fifth Coast Guard District, Federal Building, 4th Floor, 431 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704-5004, or they may be hand delivered to the same address between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. The Commander (obr), Fifth Coast Guard District maintains the public docket for this deviation. Comments and material received from the public, as well as documents indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket, will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or copying at the above address.

Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in evaluating this test schedule by submitting comments and related material. If you do so, please include your name and address, identify the docket number for this deviation CGD05-04-071, indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each comment. Please submit all comments and related material in an unbound format, no larger than 81/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying. If you would like to know they reached us, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Waverly W. Gregory Jr., Bridge Administrator, Fifth Coast Guard District, at (757) 398-6222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Effective on July 11, 2003, the bridge owner, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, was officially permitted to operate the Route 70 Bridge across Manasquan River with new regulations. The new operating regulations listed at 33 CFR 117.727 allows the draw of the bridge to open on signal on the hour, except that from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., every day the draw need not be open.

Based on comments received on the new operating regulations of the bridge and in an effort to facilitate vessel and vehicular traffic while providing for the reasonable needs of navigation, the District Commander has offered a test period to reexamine the rush hour closure periods during the forthcoming recreational boating season. The new proposal will test a new rush hour period from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, as opposed to the current 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. regulatory hours. Therefore, the last drawbridge opening for vessels before the rush hour will occur at 4 p.m. and first opening following the rush hour will be at 7 p.m.

Under this 90-day temporary deviation, effective from May 1, 2004 through July 29, 2004, the Route 70 Bridge across Manasquan shall open on signal on the hour, except that from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., every day the draw need not be opened.

This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized under 33 CFR 117.43.