[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 74 (Friday, April 16, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20544-20545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8710]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD05-04-070]
RIN 1625-AA09


Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Kent Island Narrows, MD

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations and request for 
comments.

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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 U.S. Route 50/301 
Bridge, mile 1.0, across Kent Island Narrows at Kent Island, Maryland. 
Under this temporary 90-day deviation, from May 1, through July 29, 
from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., the bridge will open on the hour and half hour 
for the passage of all waiting vessels. The purpose of this temporary 
deviation is to test an alternate drawbridge operation schedule for 90 
days and solicit comment 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 31 August 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 test 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 test 
deviation CGD05-04-070, 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 8\1/2\ 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: Bill Brazier, Bridge Management 
Specialist, Fifth Coast Guard District, at (757) 398-6422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Route 50/301 Bridge across Kent 
Island Narrows has a vertical clearance in the closed position of 18 
feet at mean high water and 19 feet at mean low water. The existing 
drawbridge operation regulations are listed at 33 CFR 117.561. The 
bridge owner, the Maryland State Highway Authority, requested a 
temporary deviation from the drawbridge operation regulations to test 
for a period of 90 days an alternate drawbridge operation schedule. 
This deviation will expand the time the bridge is required to open to 
vessel traffic to on the hour and half hour for the period specified. 
This will assist in determining if additional openings are needed. The 
current bridge opening schedule has impacted navigational users 
attempting to transit through the bridge.
    The existing drawbridge operation regulations, outlined at 33 CFR 
117.561 (b), states that: from May through October 31, on Monday 
(except when Monday is a holiday) through Thursday (except when 
Thursday is the day before a Friday holiday), the draw shall open on 
signal on the hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but need not be opened at any 
other time; on Friday (except when Friday is a holiday) and on Thursday 
when it is the day before a Friday holiday, the draw shall open on 
signal on the hour from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and at 8 p.m., but need not be 
opened at any other time; on Saturday and on a Friday holiday, the draw 
shall open on signal at 6 a.m. and 12 noon and on signal on the hour 
from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., but need not be opened at any other time; on 
Sunday and on a Monday holiday, the draw shall open on signal on the 
hour from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at 3:30 p.m., but need not opened at 
any other time; the draw shall open at scheduled opening times only if 
vessels are waiting to pass. At each opening, the draw shall remain 
open for a sufficient period of time to allow passage of all waiting 
vessels; and if a vessel is approaching the bridge and cannot reach the 
bridge exactly on the hour, the drawtender may delay the hourly opening 
up to ten minutes past the hour for the passage of

[[Page 20545]]

the approaching vessel and any other vessels that are waiting to pass.
    Under this 90-day temporary deviation, effective from May 1, 2004 
through July 29, 2004, the U.S. Route 50/301 Bridge across Kent Island 
Narrows will open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., on the hour and half hour, 
until all waiting vessels have passed.
    This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized under 
33 CFR 117.43.

    Dated: April 9, 2004.
Waverly W. Gregory, Jr.,
Chief, Bridge Branch, Fifth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 04-8710 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]
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