§ 117.716 - Delaware River.

§ 117.716 Delaware River.

(a) The following apply to all drawbridges across the Delaware River:

(1) The draws of railroad bridges need not be opened when there is a train in the bridge block approaching the bridge with the intention of crossing or within five minutes of the known time of the passage of a scheduled passenger train.

(2) The opening of a bridge may not be delayed more than five minutes for a highway bridge or 10 minutes for a railroad bridge after the signal to open is given.

(3) The owners of drawbridges shall provide and keep in good legible condition two board gages painted white with black figures not less than six inches high to indicate the vertical clearance under the closed draw at all stages of the tide. The gages shall be so placed on the bridge that they are plainly visible to operators of vessels approaching the bridge either up or downstream.

(b) The draw of the Conrail Memorial Railroad Bridge, mile 104.6, at Pennsauken Township, NJ shall be operated as follows:

(1) The bridge will be remotely operated from the Conrail South Jersey dispatch center in Mount Laurel, NJ, unless the remote operation system is in a failed condition.

(2) An AIS transmitter has been installed on the New Jersey side of the bridge at the bridge and land intersection in approximate position 39°58′50.52″ N (39.9807), 75°03′58.75″ (−75.06632). The AIS transmitter is assigned maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) number 993663001. The status of the bridge (open/closed/inoperative) will be provided via the name transmitted by the AIS private aids to navigation as DELAIR BRG-OPEN (fully open and locked position, channel light green), DELAIR BRG-CLOSED (other than fully open, not inoperative), or DELAIR BRG-INOP (other than fully open, inoperative). The AIS transmitter will transmit the bridge status every two minutes and upon a change in the bridge status.

(3) The remote operation system will be considered in a failed condition and qualified personnel will return and operate the bridge within 60 minutes if any of the following conditions are found:

(i) The remote operation system becomes incapable of safely and effectively operating the bridge from the remote operation center; or

(ii) Visibility of the waterway or bridge is degraded to less than equal that of an on-site bridge tender; or

(iii) Signals (communications) via sound or visual signals or radio telephone (voice) via VHF-FM channels 13 or 16 become inoperative; or

(iv) AIS becomes inoperative.

(4) Vessels that require an opening shall continue to request an opening via the methods defined in § 117.15(b) through (d) (sound or visual signals or radio telephone (VHF-FM) voice communications), via telephone at [phone], or via push-to-talk (PTT) on VHF-FM channel 13. Vessels may push the PTT button five times while on VHF-FM channel 13 to request an opening.

(5) The signals for the remote operation center or on-site bridge tender to respond to a sound signal for a bridge opening include:

(i) When the draw can be opened immediately - a sound signal of one prolonged blast followed by one short blast and illumination of a fixed white light not more than 30 seconds after the requesting signal; or

(ii) When the draw cannot be opened immediately - five short blasts sounded in rapid succession and illumination of a fixed red light not more 30 seconds after the vessel's opening signal.

(6) The signals for the remote operation center or on-site bridge tender to respond to a visual signal for a bridge opening include:

(i) When the draw can be opened immediately - illumination of a fixed white light not more than 30 seconds after the requesting signal; or

(ii) When the draw cannot be opened immediately - illumination of a fixed red light not more 30 seconds after the vessel's opening signal.

(7) The fixed white light will remain illuminated until the bridge reaches the fully open position. The fixed white and red lights will be positioned on the east (New Jersey) bridge abutment adjacent to the navigation span.

(c) The draw of the SR 413 (Burlington-Bristol) Bridge, mile 117.8, between Burlington, NJ and Bristol, PA, shall open on signal if at least a two-hour notice is given from June 19, 2019, through 7:59 a.m. on September 17, 2019.

[USCG-2016-0257, 83 FR 59311, Nov. 23, 2018, as amended by USCG-2018-0228, 84 FR 22703, May 20, 2019]

Effective Date Note

Effective Date Note:

By USCG-2018-0228, 84 FR 22703, May 20, 2019, in § 117.716, paragraph (c) was added, effective until Sept. 17, 2019.