Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay, Ocean City, MD

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of deviation from drawbridge regulations.

SUMMARY:

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the US 50 (Harry W. Kelly Memorial) Bridge across the Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay, mile 0.5, at Ocean City, MD. The deviation is necessary to accommodate increased vehicular traffic of the 2016 Ocean City Fireworks presentation. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position.

DATES:

The deviation is effective from 9:25 p.m. to 10:25 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

The docket for this deviation, [USCG-2016-0539] 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 Mr. Michael Thorogood, Bridge Administration Branch Fifth District, Coast Guard, telephone 757-398-6557, email Michael.R.Thorogood@uscg.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Town of Ocean City, on behalf of the Maryland State Highway Administration, who owns the U.S. 50 (Harry W. Kelly Memorial) Bridge across the Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay, mile 0.5, at Ocean City, MD, has requested a temporary deviation from the current operating regulations set out in 33 CFR 117.559, to accommodate the increased vehicular traffic of the 2016 Ocean City Fireworks presentation.

Under this temporary deviation, the bridge will be closed-to-navigation from 9:25 p.m. to 10:25 p.m. on July 3, 2016. The bridge is a double bascule bridge and has a vertical clearance in the closed-to-navigation position of 13 feet above mean high water.

The Isle of Wight (Sinepuxent) Bay is used by recreational vessels. The Coast Guard has carefully considered the nature and volume of vessel traffic on the waterway in publishing this temporary deviation.

Vessels able to pass through the bridge in the closed-to-navigation position may do so at any time. The bridge will be able to open in case of an emergency. The Coast Guard will also inform the users of the waterway through our Local Notice 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.