[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 55 (Thursday, March 21, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10411-10412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05413]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[Docket No. USCG-2018-0729]


Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, 
Fort Pierce, FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

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

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the 
operating schedule that governs the Fort Pierce North Causeway A1A 
Bridge (Banty Sanders) across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway 
(AICW), mile 964.8 at Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, FL. This deviation 
will be a second test of a change to the drawbridge operation

[[Page 10412]]

schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is 
needed. This test deviation will modify the existing deviation to allow 
the bridge scheduled openings.

DATES: This deviation is effective without actual notice from March 21, 
2019 through August 26, 2019 at 7 a.m. For the purposes of enforcement, 
actual notice will be used from February 28, 2019 at 7 a.m., until 
March 21, 2019.
    Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or 
before June 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2018-0729 using Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this test 
deviation, call or email LT Samuel Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Sector Miami 
Waterways Management Division, U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-
4307, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis

    On August 30, 2018, the Coast Guard published a Test Deviation 
entitled ``Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal 
Waterway, Fort Pierce, FL'' in the Federal Register (83 FR 44233). We 
received 113 comments.
    The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) owns the Fort 
Pierce North Causeway A1A Bridge (Banty Sanders) across the AICW, mile 
964.8 in Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, FL. The bridge has a vertical 
clearance of 26 feet at mean high water in the closed position and a 
horizontal clearance of 90 feet. The bridge currently operates under 33 
CFR 117.5.
    The duration of the initial test deviation was 180 days. During the 
initial test, the majority of comments received were in support of 
scheduled openings. However, most felt that the bridge was still 
opening too frequently. A review of the bridge tender logs did not 
support the claim that the bridge was opening too frequently. The logs 
did show, however, that openings tended to be twice per hour as opposed 
to three times per hour. In addition, the majority of comments 
recommended scheduled openings during the evening and on weekends.
    In order to meet the reasonable needs of navigation, while 
benefiting vehicle transportation, the Coast Guard is publishing this 
alternate temporary deviation to the proposed schedule change to 
determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is appropriate to 
better balance the needs of marine and vehicle traffic.
    Under this temporary deviation, in effect from 7 a.m. on February 
28, 2019 to 7 a.m. on August 26, 2019, the draw shall open on the hour 
and half-hour. Vessels in distress, public vessels of the United 
States, and tugs with tows must be passed at any time.
    This waterway is utilized by vessels of the United States, 
commercial vessels, as well as recreational vessels. There is no 
alternate route for vessels desiring to travel north in the AICW. 
Vessels that may pass through the bridge without a requested opening 
may do so at any time.
    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

    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, visit http://www.regulations.gov/privacynotice.
    Documents mentioned in this notification 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: March 18, 2019.
Barry Dragon,
Director, Bridge Branch, Seventh Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2019-05413 Filed 3-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P