[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26917]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD08-97-040]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, 
Algiers Alternate Route, LA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations.

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SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District has issued a 
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the 
Belle Chasse vertical lift span drawbridge on State Route 23 across the 
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Algiers Alternate Route at mile 3.8 at 
Belle Chasse, Louisiana. This deviation allows the bridge to remain 
closed to navigation between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. on 
Saturday, October 25, 1997 and between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. 
on Sunday, October 26, 1997. This closure is necessary to facilitate 
movement of vehicular traffic for the New Orleans Open House 1997 Air 
Show, to be held at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Belle Chasse, 
Louisiana.

DATES: The deviation is effective from 4 p.m. on October 25, 1997 until 
7 p.m. on October 26, 1997.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Belle Chasse bridge has a vertical 
clearance of 40 feet above mean high water in the closed-to-navigation 
position and 100 feet in the open-to-navigation position.
    Navigation on the waterway consists primarily of tugs with tows, 
commercial fishing vessels, sailboats and other recreational craft. 
Between 150,000 and 200,000 members of the public are expected to 
attend the New Orleans Open House Air Show on each day. The Louisiana 
Department of Transportation and Development has requested a temporary 
deviation from the normal operation of the bridge so that the extremely 
heavy volume of vehicular traffic that will be departing the Naval Air 
Station following the event can be expeditiously dispersed.
    This deviation requires that the draw of the Belle Chasse bridge 
remain closed to navigation between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. 
on Saturday, October 25, 1997 and between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 
p.m. on Sunday, October 26, 1997. Presently, the draw is required to 
open on signal during weekends.

    Dated: September 18, 1997.
T.W. Josiah,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 97-26917 Filed 10-9-97; 8:45 am]
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