2015-31938. Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Wrightsville Beach, NC

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 SR 74 Bascule Bridge, across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW), mile 283.1, at Wrightsville Beach, NC. The deviation is necessary to accommodate the 7th annual Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during the race to facilitate the safe travels of the runners and bystanders.

DATES:

This deviation is effective from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 20, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

The docket for this deviation, [USCG-2015-1064] 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have questions on this temporary deviation, call or email Kashanda Booker, Bridge Administration Branch, Fifth Coast Guard; telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The 7th Annual Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon committee on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has requested a temporary deviation from the current operating schedule for the SR 74 Bascule Drawbridge across the AIWW, mile 283.1, at Wrightsville Beach, NC. The requested deviation will accommodate the 7th Annual Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon scheduled for Sunday, March 20, 2016. To facilitate this event, the draw of the bridge will be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to allow race participants to cross during the scheduled event.

The current operation schedule is set out in 33 CFR 117.821(a)(4). The regulation requires the bridge to open on signal for vessels at all times except that from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. the bridge shall open on the hour; every third and fourth Saturday in September the bridge shall remain closed from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m.; and the last Saturday of October or the first or second Saturday of November the bridge shall remain closed from 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. The bascule drawbridge has a vertical clearance of 20 feet above mean high water (MHW) in the closed position.

Vessels able to pass through the bridge in the closed position may do so at anytime. The bridge will be able to open for emergencies and there is no immediate alternate route for vessels. Most waterway traffic consists of recreational boats with a few barges and tugs during the daytime. 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 vessel operators can arrange their transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.

In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the drawbridge must return to its regular operating schedule 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: December 15, 2015.

Hal R. Pitts,

Bridge Program Manager, Fifth Coast Guard District.