[Federal Register: March 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 49)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 13128-13129]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr08-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[USCG-2008-0048]
Drawbridge Operation Regulations; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
(GIWW), mile 49.8, near Houma, Lafourche Parish, LA
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of temporary deviation from regulations; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a
temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the
SR 316 Blue Bayou Pontoon Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway,
mile 49.8, near Houma, Lafourche Parish, LA. This deviation will test a
change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a
permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow
the draw of the bridge to open on signal except during the regular
school year on Monday through Friday except Federal holidays from 7
a.m. to 8:30 a.m., from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30
p.m.
DATES: This deviation is effective from March 27, 2008, until April 28,
2008. Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or
before May 12, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket
number USCG-2008-0048 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S.
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one
of the following methods:
(1) Online: http://www.regulations.gov.
(2) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
(3) Hand delivery: Room W12-140 on the Ground Floor of the West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
(4) Fax: 202-493-2251.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this proposed
rule, call Bart Marcules, Bridge Administration Branch, telephone (504)
671-2128.
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the
docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations,
telephone 202-366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We encourage you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
comments and related materials. All comments received will be posted,
without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided. We have an agreement with the
Department of Transportation (DOT) to use the Docket Management
Facility. Please see DOT's ``Privacy Act'' paragraph below.
Submitting comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
[[Page 13129]]
rulemaking USCG-2008-0048, indicate the specific section of this
document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each
comment. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address,
an e-mail address, or a phone number in the body of your document so
that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission.
You may submit your comments and material by electronic means, mail,
fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under
ADDRESSES; but please submit your comments and material by only one
means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an
unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would
like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped,
self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and
material received during the comment period. We may change this
proposed rule in view of them.
Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov at
any time, click on ``Search for Dockets,'' and enter the docket number
for this rulemaking USCG-2008-0048 in the Docket ID box, and click
enter. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-
140 on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received into
any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment
(or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may review the Department of
Transportation's Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit http://
DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
Background and Purpose
The Lafourche Parish Council has requested that a regulation be
placed on the SR 316 Blue Bayou Pontoon Bridge across the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), at mile 49.8, near Houma, LA. This bridge
currently opens on signal as required by 33 CFR 117.5. Due to a high
volume of vehicular traffic on SR 316, and the length of time to open
and close the SR 316 Blue Bayou Pontoon Bridge, a bridge opening can
cause a substantial delay in transit time for school buses having to
cross the bridge. To minimize the transit time of school children,
Lafourche Parish requested closure periods around the scheduled school
bus route times to allow the buses to cross the bridge without delay
caused by a bridge opening. Currently, based on twelve months of bridge
logs and a two week vehicular traffic count during the school year the
7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. period has an average of 87 cars to 3.4 vessels,
the 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. period has an average of 112 cars to 6.3 vessels,
and the 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. period has an average of 140 cars to 3.2
vessels. Thus, a substantial delay can occur to the school buses that
have to cross this bridge during their routes.
The users of the waterway consist mostly of towboats and barges,
fishing vessels, and some recreational vessels. All waterway users
transiting through this area require the bridge to open since the
bridge is a pontoon bridge with no vertical clearance in the closed to
navigation position and there is no feasible alternate route. During
this test deviation, a count of the delayed vessels during the closure
periods will be taken to ensure a future regulation will not have a
significant impact on navigation. This test deviation has been
coordinated with the main commercial waterway user group that has
vessels transiting in this area, and currently there is no expectation
of any significant impacts on navigation.
The deviation period will be from March 27, 2008 until April 28,
2008. During the deviation period, the draw shall open on signal;
except that, the draw need not be opened from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday except Federal holidays.
A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, USCG-2008-0049, is being issued in
conjunction with this Temporary Deviation to obtain public comments.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be open for public comment for
two months from March 12, 2008 until May 12, 2008. The Coast Guard will
evaluate public comments from this Temporary Deviation and the above
referenced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to determine if a permanent
special drawbridge operating regulation is warranted.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to
its regular operating schedule immediately at the end of the designated
time period. This deviation from the operating regulations is
authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.
Dated: February 21, 2008.
David M. Frank,
Bridge Administrator.
[FR Doc. E8-4943 Filed 3-11-08; 8:45 am]
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