[Federal Register: February 26, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 38)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 8817]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26fe04-10]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[CGD01-04-012]
Drawbridge Operation Regulations: Hackensack River, NJ
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations and request for
comment.
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SUMMARY: The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the drawbridge operation regulations to test
an alternate drawbridge operation regulation for the AMTRAK Portal
Bridge, mile 5.0, across the Hackensack River at Little Snake Hill, New
Jersey. Under this temporary 90-day deviation the two time periods in
the morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday, when the bridge may
remain closed to vessel traffic, will be expanded. Additional bridge
openings will be provided for commercial vessels after at least a one-
hour advance notice is given. The purpose of this temporary deviation
is to test an alternate drawbridge operation schedule for 90 days and
solicit comment from the public.
DATES: This deviation is effective from March 1, 2004 through May 29,
2004. Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before 30 June 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to Commander (obr), First Coast Guard
District Bridge Branch, One South Street, Battery Park Building, New
York, New York, 10004, or deliver them to the same address between 7
a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except, Federal holidays. The
telephone number is (212) 668-7165. The First Coast Guard District,
Bridge Branch, maintains the public docket for this rulemaking.
Comments and material received from the public, as well as documents
indicated in this preamble as being available in the docket, will
become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or
copying at the First Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, 7 a.m. to 3
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this schedule test by submitting
comments or related material. If you do so, please include your name
and address, identify the docket number for this rulemaking (CGD01-04-
012), indicate the specific section of this document to which each
comment applies, and give the reason for each comment. Please submit
all comments and related material in an unbound format, no larger than
8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying. If you would like to know if
they reached us, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or
envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during
the comment period.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Kassof, Project Officer, First
Coast Guard District, at (212) 668-7165.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AMTRAK Portal Bridge has a vertical
clearance in the closed position of 23 feet at mean high water and 28
feet at mean low water. The existing drawbridge operation regulations
are listed at 33 CFR 117.723(c).
The bridge owner, National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)
requested a temporary deviation from the drawbridge operation
regulations to test for a period of 90 days, an alternate drawbridge
operation schedule. This temporary 90-day deviation will expand the two
time periods in the morning and afternoon Monday through Friday when
the bridge may remain closed to vessel traffic. Rail traffic during the
morning and afternoon commuter periods have increased. Bridge openings
during the two commuter time periods have caused delays to rail traffic
prompting the bridge owner to request the expansion of the bridge
closure periods week days, Monday through Friday.
The existing drawbridge operation regulations allow the bridge to
remain closed to vessel traffic, Monday through Friday, from 7:20 a.m.
to 9:20 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:50 p.m., daily.
Under this 90-day temporary deviation, effective from March 1, 2004
through May 29, 2004, the AMTRAK Portal Bridge need not open for vessel
traffic, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m.
to 8 p.m., daily.
Additional bridge openings will be provided for commercial vessels
from 6 a.m. to 7:20 a.m., from 9:20 a.m. to 10 a.m., from 4 p.m. to
4:30 p.m. and from 6:50 p.m. to 8 p.m., if at least a one-hour advance
notice is given by calling the number posted at the bridge.
This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized under
33 CFR Sec. 117.43.
Dated: February 13, 2004.
John L. Grenier,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Commander, First Coast Guard
District.
[FR Doc. 04-4280 Filed 2-25-04; 8:45 am]
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