2014-25271. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Lake Washington,

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of deviation from drawbridge regulation.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (State Route 520) across Lake Washington at Seattle, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate vehicular traffic attending football games at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position two hours before and two hours after each game. Note that the game times for the games scheduled at Husky Stadium have not yet been determined due to NCAA television scheduling.

DATES:

This deviation is effective from October 25, 2014 through November 22, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

The docket for this deviation, [USCG-2014-0934] is available at http://www.regulations.gov. Type the docket number in the “SEARCH” box and click “SEARCH.” Click on Open Docket Folder on the line associated with this deviation. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions on this temporary deviation, call or email Steven M. Fischer, Bridge Administrator, Thirteenth District, Coast Guard; telephone [phone], email [e-mail]. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Washington State Department of Transportation, on behalf of the University of Washington Police Department, has requested that the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (State Route 520) remain closed to vessel traffic, and need not open to vessel traffic to facilitate timely movement of pre-game and post-game football traffic. The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge provides three navigational openings for vessel passage, the movable floating span, subject to this closure, and two fixed navigational openings; one on the east end of the bridge and one on the west end. The fixed navigational opening on the east end of the bridge provides a horizontal clearance of 150 feet and a vertical clearance of 57 feet (the east end navigation channel is currently blocked due to construction). The opening on the west end of the bridge provides a horizontal clearance of 170 feet and a vertical clearance of 45 feet. These vertical clearance measurements are made in reference to the Mean Water Level of Lake Washington. Vessels which do not require a bridge opening may continue to transit beneath the bridge during these closure periods. Under normal conditions this bridge opens on signal if at least two hours notice is given in 33 CFR 117.1049.

This deviation period will cover the dates October 25, 2014, November 8, 2014, and November 22, 2014. The times for the closures will be determined and announced in the Coast Guard's Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice to Mariners as they become available. Due to NCAA television scheduling, the times for the games are not currently available.

The deviation allows the center span of Evergreen Point Floating Bridge (State Route 520) to remain in the closed position and need not open for maritime traffic for two hours before and after the University of Washington football game on October 25, 2014, November 8, 2014, and November 22, 2014. The bridge shall operate in accordance to 33 CFR 117.1049 at all other times. Waterway usage on the Lake Washington Ship Canal ranges from commercial tug and barge to small pleasure craft.

The bridge will be able to open for emergencies and there is no immediate alternate route for vessels to pass. The Coast Guard will also inform the users of the waterways through our Local and Broadcast Notices to Mariners of the change in operating schedule for the bridge so that vessels can arrange their transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.

In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridges 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: October 10, 2014.

Steven M. Fischer,

Bridge Administrator, Thirteenth Coast Guard District.