[Federal Register: April 20, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 76)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 21061-21062]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ap04-12]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[CGD05-04-071]
RIN 1625-AA09
Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Manasquan River, NJ
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations and request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the drawbridge operation regulations to test
an alternate drawbridge operation regulation for the Route 70 Bridge
across Manasquan River, mile 3.4, at Riviera Beach, New Jersey. Under
this temporary 90-day deviation, the draw of the bridge will open on
signal on the hour, except that from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through
Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day the draw need not be
opened. The purpose of this temporary deviation is to test an alternate
drawbridge operation schedule for 90 days and solicit comments from the
public.
DATES: This deviation is effective from May 1, 2004, through July 29,
2004. Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before August 31, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may mail comments and related material to Commander
(obr), Fifth Coast Guard District, Federal Building, 4th Floor, 431
Crawford Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704-5004, or they may be hand
delivered to the same address between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal Holidays. The Commander (obr), Fifth Coast Guard
District maintains the public docket for this deviation. 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
above address.
Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in evaluating this test schedule by
submitting comments and related material. If you do so, please include
your name and address, identify the docket number for this deviation
CGD05-04-071, 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 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: Waverly W. Gregory Jr., Bridge
Administrator, Fifth Coast Guard District, at (757) 398-6222.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective on July 11, 2003, the bridge
owner, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, was officially
permitted to operate the Route 70 Bridge across Manasquan River with
new regulations. The new operating regulations listed at 33 CFR 117.727
allows the draw of the bridge to open on signal on the hour, except
that from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7
a.m., every day the draw need not be open.
Based on comments received on the new operating regulations of the
bridge and in an effort to facilitate vessel and vehicular traffic
while providing for the reasonable needs of navigation, the District
Commander has offered a test period to reexamine the rush hour closure
periods during the forthcoming recreational boating season. The new
proposal will test a new rush hour period from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays, as opposed to the current 4
p.m. to 7 p.m. regulatory hours. Therefore, the last drawbridge opening
for vessels before the rush hour will occur at 4 p.m. and first opening
following the rush hour will be at 7 p.m.
[[Page 21062]]
Under this 90-day temporary deviation, effective from May 1, 2004
through July 29, 2004, the Route 70 Bridge across Manasquan shall open
on signal on the hour, except that from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday
through Friday and from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., every day the draw need not
be opened.
This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized under
33 CFR 117.43.
Dated: April 12, 2004.
Waverly W. Gregory, Jr.,
Chief, Bridge Branch, Fifth Coast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 04-8865 Filed 4-19-04; 8:45 am]
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