§ 117.123 - Arkansas Waterway.

§ 117.123 Arkansas Waterway.

(a) Across the Arkansas Waterway, the draw of the Rob Roy Drawbridge, mile 67.4, at Pine Bluff, Arkansas is maintained in the closed to navigation position and is remotely operated. Any vessel which requires an opening of the draw of this bridge shall establish contact by radiotelephone with the remote drawbridge operator on VHF-FM Channel 12 in Omaha, Nebraska. To establish contact, the vessel shall key the VHF-FM radio microphone four times in five seconds and listen for an acknowledgement tone. The remote drawbridge operator will then establish normal verbal radio communication on VHF-FM Channel 12 and advise the vessel whether the requested span can be immediately opened and will maintain constant radio contact with the vessel until the requested span has opened and vessel passage has been completed. The bridge is equipped with a Photoelectric Boat Detection System to prevent the span from lowering if there is an obstruction under the span. If the drawbridge cannot be opened immediately, the remote drawbridge operator will notify the calling vessel and provide an estimated time for a drawspan opening.

(b) Across the Arkansas Waterway, the draw of the Baring Cross Railroad Drawbridge, mile 119.6 at Little Rock, Arkansas, is maintained in the closed position and is remotely operated. Use the following procedures to request an opening of this bridge when necessary for transit:

(1) Normal flow procedures. Any vessel which requires an opening of the draw of this bridge shall establish contact by radiotelephone with the remote drawbridge operator on VHF-FM Channel 13 in Omaha, Nebraska. To establish contact, the vessel shall key the VHF-FM radio microphone four times in five seconds and listen for an acknowledgement tone. The remote drawbridge operator will then establish normal verbal radio communication on VHF-FM Channel 13 and advise the vessel whether the requested span can be immediately opened and will maintain constant radio contact with the vessel until the requested span has opened and vessel passage has been completed. The bridge is equipped with a Photoelectric Boat Detection System to prevent the span from lowering if there is an obstruction under the span. If the drawbridge cannot be opened immediately, the remote drawbridge operator will notify the calling vessel and provide an estimated time for a drawspan opening.

(2) High velocity flow procedures. The area from mile 118.2 to mile 125.4 is a regulated navigation area as described in § 165.817. During periods of high velocity flow rate of 70,000 cubic feet per second or greater at the Murray Lock and Dam, mile 125.4, downbound vessels which require that the draw of this bridge be opened for unimpeded passage shall contact the remote drawbridge operator as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section either before departing Murray Lock and Dam or before departing the mooring cells at mile 121.5 to ensure that the drawspan is opened well in advance of arrival at the bridge. The remote drawbridge operator shall immediately respond to the vessel's contact, ensure the drawspan is open for passage, and ensure that it remains in the open to navigation position until the downbound vessel has safely passed through. If it cannot be opened immediately for unimpeded passage in accordance with § 165.817, the remote drawbridge operator will notify the downbound vessel and provide an estimated time for a drawspan opening. Upbound vessels shall request openings in accordance with the normal flow procedures as set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. The remote drawbridge operator shall keep these approaching vessels informed of the position of the drawspan at all times until safe passage is completed.

(c) Across the Arkansas Waterway, the draw of the Van Buren Railroad Drawbridge, mile 300.8 at Van Buren, Arkansas, is maintained in the open position except as follows:

(1) When a train approaches the bridge, amber lights attached to the bridge begin to flash and an audible signal on the bridge sounds. At the end of 10 minutes, the amber light continues to flash; however, the audible signal stops and the draw lowers and locks if the photoelectric boat detection system detects no obstruction under the span. If there is an obstruction, the draw opens to its full height until the obstruction is cleared.

(2) After the train clears the bridge, the draw opens to its full height, the amber flashing light stops, and the mid channel lights change from red to green, indicating the navigation channel is open for the passage of vessels.

[CGD08-06-005, 71 FR 70879, Dec. 7, 2006, as amended by USCG-2007-0043, 73 FR 24868, May 6, 2008; USCG-2010-0441, 75 FR 65232, Oct. 22, 2010; USCG-2010-0228, 75 FR 66308, Oct. 28, 2010]