[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7313-7314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3301]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2008-1225]


Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, St. 
Petersburg Beach and South Pasadena, FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

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

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SUMMARY: The Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, has issued a 
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the 
Pinellas Bayway Structure ``C'' and Corey Causeway (SR 693) Bridges 
across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, miles 114 and 117.7, at St. 
Petersburg Beach, and South Pasadena, FL. This deviation will test a 
change to the drawbridge operation schedules to determine whether a 
permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow 
both drawbridges to operate on a twice an hour schedule during the day. 
This deviation may be terminated/cancelled at any time via a Broadcast 
Notice to Mariners.

DATES: This deviation is effective from 7 a.m. on January 26 through 7 
p.m. on April 25, 2009.

[[Page 7314]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket 
number USCG-2008-1225 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: If you have questions on this test 
deviation, call Michael Lieberum, Bridge Branch at 305-415-6744. 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:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this action by submitting 
comments and related materials. 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 
action (USCG-2008-1225), 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 a 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 material by electronic means, mail, fax, or 
delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under 
ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments and material 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 action 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, click on ``Search for Dockets,'' and enter the docket number 
for this action (USCG-2008-1225) in the Docket ID box, and click enter. 
You may also visit 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, 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).

Background and Purpose

    The Pinellas Bayway Structure ``C'' bridge has a vertical clearance 
of 25 feet in the closed position and the Corey Causeway bridge has a 
vertical clearance of 23 feet in the closed position.
    The current operating regulations per 33 CFR 117.287(e), the draw 
of the Pinellas Bayway Structure ``C'' bridge, mile 114, at St. 
Petersburg Beach shall open on signal; except that from 7 a.m. to 7 
p.m., the draw need open only on the hour, twenty minutes past the 
hour, and forty minutes past the hour. Per 33 CFR 117.287(f), the draw 
of the Corey Causeway (SR 693) bridge, mile 117.7 at South Pasadena, 
shall open on signal; except that, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through 
Friday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and Federal 
holidays, the draw need to open only on the hour, twenty minutes after 
the hour, and forty minutes after the hour.
    The local mayor has requested that the Coast Guard evaluate a twice 
an hour schedule. The Florida Department of Transportation, the bridge 
owner, has a concern related to the length of time during bridge 
openings on the weekends due to the accumulation of vessels between 
openings which may directly impact vehicle traffic. For this reason, 
FDOT will be monitoring the traffic flow through the area during this 
test and may recommend that the test be terminated at any point that 
vehicle traffic patterns show a detriment rather than an improvement in 
traffic flow. This test may have a minor impact on vessel traffic as 
there will be two openings an hour rather than three during these same 
time periods.
    This deviation will start on 7 a.m. on January 26 and will continue 
until 7 p.m. on April 25, 2009, unless otherwise terminated/cancelled 
due to heavier than normal traffic patterns. The Pinellas Bayway 
Structure ``C'' and Corey Causeway bridges will open on demand except 
that from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily both bridges will open on the hour and 
half-hour, seven days a week. Vessels able to pass under the bridges 
without an opening may do so at any time. Public vessels of the United 
States and tugs with tows must be passed at any time.
    In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge 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: January 15, 2009.
R.S. Branham,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard 
District.
 [FR Doc. E9-3301 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
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