Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Lake Washington Ship Canal, Seattle, WA

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 Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 0.1, at Seattle, WA. This deviation is necessary to facilitate heavy maintenance on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the down, or closed position, during the maintenance period.

DATES:

This deviation is effective from 9 a.m. on November 5, 2013 to 11:59 p.m. on November 14, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

The docket for this deviation, [USCG-2013-0807] 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 Lieutenant Commander Steven Fischer, Thirteenth District Bridge Program Office, Coast Guard; telephone (206)220-7277, Steven.M.Fischer2@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Barbara Hairston, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

BNSF Railway has requested that the draw of the BNSF Railway Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 0.1 (Ballard-Salmon Bay), be locked in the closed position and not be required to open for the passage of vessels on 4 separate days during a 9 day period to facilitate heavy maintenance on the bridge. The bridge provides 43 feet of vertical clearance above mean high water while in the closed position. Under normal operations this bridge opens on signal as required by 33 CFR 117.5 and 33 CFR 117.1051(c). The deviation period is from 9 a.m. on November 5, 2013 to 11:59 p.m. on November 14, 2013. This deviation allows the draw span of the BNSF Railway Bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal, mile 0.1, to remain in the closed position and to not open for maritime traffic from 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on November 5, 2013, and 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on November 7, 2013, and 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on November 12, 2013, and 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on November 14, 2013. These time frames were selected because it corresponds with the closure of the Army Corps of Engineering Hiram M. Chittenden lock immediately upstream or inland of the bridge on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. This stretch of the Lake Washington Ship Canal experiences heavy waterway usage and is utilized by vessels ranging from commercial tug and barge to pleasure craft.

Vessels able to pass through the bridge in the closed positions may do so at anytime. The bridge will not 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 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.