[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1401-1402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00871]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2018-0988]
RIN 1625-AA09
Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Old Fort Bayou, MS
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is issuing a temporary deviation to the
operating schedule that regulates the State Route 609 (SR 609) bascule
bridge across the Old Fort Bayou, mile 1.6 at Ocean Springs, Harrison
County, Mississippi. This deviation is needed to collect and analyze
information on vehicle traffic congestion on SR 609 created when the
drawbridge opens to vessel traffic. During this temporary deviation the
drawbridge will not open to vessel traffic during specified times.
DATES: This deviation is effective from 6 a.m. February 4, 2019 through
6 p.m. June 4, 2019.
Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard
on or before June 4, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2018-0988 using 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
rulemaking, call or email Mr. Doug Blakemore, Eighth Coast Guard
District Bridge Administrator; telephone (504) 671-2128, email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
MDOT Mississippi Department of Transportation
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
SR State Route
Sec. Section
U.S.C. United States Code
I. Background, Purpose, and Legal Basis
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has requested
to change the operating requirements for the SR 609 bascule bridge
across the Old Fort Bayou, mile 1.6, at Ocean Springs, Harrison County,
Mississippi. This bridge currently operates according to 33 CFR
117.681. MDOT provided the Coast Guard with a vehicle traffic study
that concluded that vehicle traffic becomes very congested on SR 609
during morning, noon and afternoon rush hours and that bridge openings
for vessels adds to the congestion. This MDOT study and analysis is
provided in the docket to this temporary rule.
The 120-day temporary deviation to the regulation will allow MDOT
to collect additional vehicle traffic data to measure the impact of
bridge closures on traffic congestion. It will also allow the Coast
Guard to collect data on the impact of the regulation change on
vessels.
This bridge has a vertical clearance of 26 feet above mean high
water in the closed to vessel position and unlimited vertical clearance
in the open to vessel traffic position. From January through December
2017 the bridge opened for vessel traffic 267 times. During this
temporary deviation the bridge will operate as follows:
The draw of the SR 609 bascule bridge across the Old Fort Bayou,
mile 1.6, Ocean Springs, Harrison County, Mississippi shall open on
signal; except the draw need not open 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., 10:45 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday except
Federal holidays. From 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the draw shall open on signal
if at least eight-hours-notice is given. The bridge will open on signal
for emergencies.
The Coast Guard will also inform the users of the waterways through
our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners of the change in operating
schedule for the bridge so that vessel operators can arrange their
transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the effective
period of this temporary deviation. This deviation from the operating
regulations is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.
II. Public Participation and Request for Comments
Public participation is essential to effective rulemaking. The
Coast Guard will consider all comments and material received during the
comment period. 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.
[[Page 1402]]
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 temporary rule change as being
available in this docket and all public comments, will be in our online
docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following
that website'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.
Dated: January 29, 2019.
Douglas Allen Blakemore, Sr.
Bridge Administrator, Eighth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2019-00871 Filed 2-1-19; 8:45 am]
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