[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13785-13787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05071]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket Number USCG-2016-0723]
RIN 1625-AA09


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, 
St. Augustine, FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is seeking comments and information concerning 
a proposal to change the operating schedule for the Bridge of Lions 
across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, Florida. The 
City of St. Augustine is concerned that vehicle traffic is becoming 
exponentially worse with each passing season and that on-demand bridge 
openings are contributing to vehicle traffic backups. The proposed 
modification would extend the twice an hour draw opening period from 7 
a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and preclude the bridge draw from opening at 3:30 
p.m. on weekends and Federal holidays.

[[Page 13786]]


DATES: Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before May 15, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2016-0723 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
notice, call or email MST1 Timothy Fosdick, Sector Jacksonville, 
Waterways Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 904-714-
7623, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Abbreviations

CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
ANPRM Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Sec.  Section Symbol
U.S.C. United States Code

A. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking, 
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment 
period. Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If 
you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
rulemaking, indicate the specific section of this document to which 
each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any 
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the 
docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal 
Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal 
Register (70 FR 15086).
    Documents mentioned in this ANPRM as being available in the docket, 
and all public comments, will be in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a 
final rule is published.

B. Regulatory History and Information

    In 2015, the City of St. Augustine approached the Coast Guard with 
a recommendation to amend the Bridge of Lions operating schedule. 
Shortly thereafter, a meeting was held with the City of St. Augustine, 
the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), bridge owner, and the 
U.S. Coast Guard to seek improvements to reduce the vehicle traffic 
backups at the intersection of A1A, the Bridge of Lions, and Avenida 
Menendez. During the meeting, FDOT agreed to work with the City traffic 
engineers to develop better traffic signaling techniques to reduce the 
vehicle traffic backups. In May 2016, the City of St. Augustine 
proposed an amendment to the bridge operating schedule to reduce 
vehicle traffic backups in the affected area. The City would like to 
extend the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. twice an hour opening schedule to 9 p.m., 
daily and preclude the bridge draw from opening at 3:30 p.m. on 
weekends and Federal holidays.
    The current operating schedule, as published in 33 CFR 117.261(d), 
reads as follows: Bridge of Lions (SR A1A) bridge, mile 777.9 at St. 
Augustine. The draw shall open on signal; except that, from 7 a.m. to 6 
p.m. the draw need open only on the hour and half-hour; however, the 
draw need not open at 8 a.m., 12 noon, and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 
except Federal holidays. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays 
and Federal holidays the draw need only open on the hour and half-hour.
    In accordance with Nautical Chart 11485, 37th Ed., Nov. 2014, the 
Bridge of Lions has a vertical clearance of 18 feet in the closed 
(down) position at mean high water and a horizontal clearance of 79 
feet. Additionally, there is a note on the chart stating ``Strong tidal 
currents run perpendicular to the Bridge of Lions opening. Vessels 
engaged in towing and pushing operations are advised to transit the 
bridge opening during slack tide and, if necessary, breakdown the tow 
in small units or use adequate tugs.'' In regards to the Bridge of 
Lions, the U.S. Coast Pilot 4, Chapter 12, Edition 47, 2015 also states 
``Caution is advised because the tidal currents, particularly ebb, run 
at right angles to the bridge. It is advisable to drift large tows 
through this opening at slack water. Normal flood currents of 1 knot 
and ebb currents of 1.5 knots may be expected. Several mishaps 
involving the bridge being hit by vessels, which have lost maneuvering 
control during periods of ebb currents, have occurred. Caution is 
advised when transiting the area.''
    The original Bridge of Lions was built in 1927 and replaced in 
2010. The new bridge was completed with no modifications to the 
vertical or horizontal clearances; therefore, there was no impact to 
the number of bridge openings due to vessel traffic.

C. Basis and Purpose

    The legal basis and authorities for this ANPRM are found in 33 
U.S.C. 499, 33 CFR 1.05-1, and Department of Homeland Security 
Delegation No. 0170.1. The Coast Guard is considering a change to the 
operating schedule for the Bridge of Lions across the Atlantic 
Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, Florida. The Coast Guard received 
a request from the City of St. Augustine to modify the operating 
schedule for the Bridge of Lions in an effort to decrease vehicle 
traffic backups caused by the significant increase in vehicle traffic 
combined with the on-demand bridge openings. The purpose of this ANPRM 
is to solicit comments on a potential proposed rulemaking concerning a 
request to change the operating schedule for the Bridge of Lions.

D. Discussion of Proposed Rule

    Amending the twice an hour opening schedule to a 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 
period should not have an unreasonable impact on navigation. However, 
amending the bridge operating schedule to exclude a 3:30 p.m. opening 
on weekends and Federal holidays may have a negative impact to the 
public, as there are many tourists in vehicles and vessels in St. 
Augustine during these periods. Additional input will be required from 
the City of St. Augustine to understand why this particular time was 
selected. It will also be essential to determine whether any commercial 
vessel operators would be directly impacted by amending the bridge 
operating schedule.

E. Information Requested

    To aid the Coast Guard in developing a proposed rule, we seek any 
comments, whether positive or negative, including but not limited to: 
The impact on vessel traffic and/or marine businesses in the area when 
extending the twice an hour opening; any potential negative impact to 
vessel traffic or marine businesses of not opening the bridge between 3 
p.m. and 4 p.m.; whether the extension to 9 p.m. of the Bridge of Lions 
twice an

[[Page 13787]]

hour opening schedule would reduce traffic congestion and; if traffic 
congestion would be reduced if the bridge did not open between 3 p.m. 
and 4 p.m. on weekends and Federal holidays.

    Dated: March 9, 2017.
S.A. Buschman,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 2017-05071 Filed 3-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P