2015-19373. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Willamette River at Portland, OR

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 four Multnomah County bridges: the Broadway Bridge, mile 11.7, Burnside Bridge, mile 12.4, Morrison Bridge, mile 12.8, and Hawthorne Bridge, mile 13.1, all crossing the Willamette River at Portland, OR. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the annual Portland Providence Bridge Pedal event. This deviation allows the bridges to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to allow safe roadway movement of event participants.

DATES:

This deviation is effective from 6 a.m. on August 9, 2015, to 12:30 p.m. on August 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

The docket for this deviation, [USCG-2015-0624] 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 Mr. Steven Fischer, Bridge Administrator, Thirteenth Coast Guard District; telephone [phone], email [e-mail]. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Multnomah County has requested a temporary deviation from the operating schedule for the Broadway Bridge, mile 11.7, Burnside Bridge, mile 12.4, Morrison Bridge, mile 12.8, and Hawthorne Bridge, mile 13.1, all crossing the Willamette River at Portland, OR. The requested deviation is to accommodate the annual Providence Bridge Pedal event. To facilitate this event, the draws of the bridges will be maintained in the closed-to-navigation positions as follows: The Broadway Bridge, mile 11.7, provides a vertical clearance of 90 feet in the closed position; Burnside Bridge, mile 12.4, provides a vertical clearance of 64 feet in the closed position; Morrison Bridge, mile 12.8, provides a vertical clearance of 69 feet in the closed position; and Hawthorne Bridge, mile 13.1, provides a vertical clearance of 49 feet in the closed position; all clearances are referenced to the vertical clearance above Columbia River Datum 0.0. The normal operating schedule for all four bridges is set in 33 CFR 117.897, and states that the bridges need not open from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. These four bridges need not open for vessel traffic from 6 a.m. on August 9, 2015, to 12:30 p.m. on August 9, 2015. This deviation period is from 6 a.m. on August 9, 2015, to 12:30 p.m. August 9, 2015. The deviation allows the Broadway Bridge, Burnside Bridge, Morrison Bridge, and the Hawthorne Bridge all crossing the Willamette River, to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and need not open for maritime traffic from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on August 9, 2015. The four bridges shall operate in accordance to 33 CFR 117.897 at all other times. Waterway usage on this part of the Willamette River includes vessels ranging from commercial tug and barge to small pleasure craft.

Vessels able to pass through the bridge in the closed-to-navigation positions may do so at any time. The bridges 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 bridges 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 their regular operating schedules immediately at the end of the effective period of this temporary deviation. This deviation from the operating regulations is authorized under 33 CFR 117.35.

Dated: July 17, 2015.

Steven M. Fischer,

Bridge Administrator, Thirteenth Coast Guard District.