[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 154 (Friday, August 8, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46191-46192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18312]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[USCG-2008-0785]


Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Shrewsbury River, Route 36 
Bridge, Highlands, NJ, Schedule Change

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

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

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SUMMARY: The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a 
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the 
Route 36 Bridge, across the Shrewsbury River, mile 1.8, at Highlands, 
New Jersey. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge 
operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the 
schedule is needed. This deviation will allow the bridge to open on 
signal for all marine traffic once an hour on the hour between 4 p.m. 
and 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 4 p.m. on August 2, 2008, 
through 7 p.m. on September 1, 2008. Comments must reach the Coast 
Guard on or before November 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket 
number USCG-2008-0785 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one 
of the following methods:
    (1) Online: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building ground floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (3) Hand Delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (202) 366-9329.
    (4) Fax: (202) 493-2251.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gary Kassof, Project Officer, 
First Coast Guard District, (212) 668-7165.
    If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the 
docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, 
telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 46192]]

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting 
comments and related material. All comments received will be posted, 
without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. We have an agreement with the 
Department of Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking (USCG-2008-0785), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each 
comment. We recommend that you include your name and mailing address, 
an e-mail address, or a phone number in the body of your document so 
that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission. 
You may submit your comments and materials by electronic means, mail, 
fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under 
ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments and materials by only one 
means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an 
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and 
material received during the comment period. We may change this 
proposed rule in view of them.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble 
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov at 
any time. Enter the docket number for this rulemaking (USCG-2008-0785) 
in the Search box, and click ``Go>>.'' You may also visit either the 
Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140, on the ground floor of the 
Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays; or First Coast Guard District, 
Bridge Branch, One South Street, New York, NY 10004, between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received into 
any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment 
(or signing the comment), if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc. You may review a Privacy Act, system of 
records notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, 
issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Public Meeting

    We do not plan to hold a public meeting. But you may submit a 
request for one to the Docket Management Facility at the address under 
ADDRESSES explaining why one would be beneficial. If we determine that 
one would aid this rulemaking, we will hold one at a time and place 
announced by a later notice in the Federal Register.

Background and Purpose

    The Route 36 Bridge has a vertical clearance in the closed position 
of 35 feet at mean high water and 39 feet at mean low water. The 
existing drawbridge operation regulations are listed at 33 CFR 
117.755(a). The bridge presently opens on the hour and half hour 
between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. from May 15 through October 15, and on signal 
from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the bridge opens on 
signal after a four-hour advance notice is given.
    The Shrewsbury River is navigated predominantly by recreational 
power boats and sail boats of various sizes.
    Currently only one lane of vehicular traffic is open northbound on 
the Route 36 Bridge due to the Highlands Bridge replacement project 
presently underway. Two lanes of vehicular traffic were closed in early 
July 2008, to facilitate the new bridge construction.
    As a result of the vehicular travel lane closures traffic 
congestion has become a major concern to motorists and local officials. 
The nearby Gateway National Recreation Area, operated by the National 
Park Service, has been particularly impacted on weekends by traffic 
delays as a result of the bridge construction and drawbridge openings 
for vessel traffic.
    The National Park Service, the New Jersey Department of 
Transportation, and local officials have made various adjustments to 
traffic control to help mitigate the vehicular traffic congestion; 
however, the traffic congestion on weekends in the afternoon continues 
to be a major safety concern when motorists are exiting the Sandy Hook 
area and the Gateway National Recreation Park.
    As a result, the National Park Service requested a temporary 
deviation from the drawbridge operation regulations to test an 
alternate drawbridge operation schedule to help better balance the 
needs between vehicular land traffic and marine vessel traffic.
    Under this temporary deviation, in effect from August 2, 2008 
through September 1, 2008, the Route 36 Bridge at mile 1.8, across the 
Shrewsbury River, shall operate as follows:
    Monday through Friday, the draw shall open on signal, from 7 a.m. 
to 8 p.m., on the hour and half hour only. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. the 
draw shall open on signal. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the draw shall open 
on signal after at least a four-hour notice is given by calling 732-
872-1052.
    Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day, the draw shall open on signal from 
7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the hour and half hour only. 
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. the draw shall open on signal once an hour, on 
the hour only. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. the draw shall open on signal. 
From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the draw shall open on signal after at least a 
four-hour advance notice is given by calling 732-872-1052.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the bridge must return to its 
regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated 
time period. This deviation from the operating regulations is 
authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.

    Dated: July 31, 2008.
Gary Kassof,
Bridge Program Manager, First Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. E8-18312 Filed 8-7-08; 8:45 am]
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