East Coast Alerts
By Mel Neale
February 23, 2006

Updated Bridge Information:
We have noticed that the Coast Guard is reopening the period of public comments on various proposed changes to East Coast bridges. There is currently a new public comment period for the long awaited Broward County, FL new bridge opening schedule in the 7th District, and for the Dominion Boulevard (aka Steel Bridge) Mile 8.8 Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, and the Proposed new Chickahominy River Bridge (VA, on a tributary of the James River) in the 5th District.

Broward County, Ft Lauderdale Area, FL New Opening Schedule:
NOTE: Implementation of this schedule has been on hold since August 16, 2005. The general public is being given ANOTHER CHANCE to make comments. Below is the proposed final schedule. The following was published in the 7th District LNM 08, issued on February 21, 2006:

On August 16, 2005, the Coast Guard proposed to change the regulations governing the operations of 10 drawbridges and establish operating regulations for 2 drawbridges, all of which cross the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Broward County, FL. The proposed rule would require all of these drawbridges to open twice an hour. The proposed schedule is based on a request from Broward County officials, a test the Coast Guard conducted from December, 2004, until February 2005, and comments received from the public based on the test. The proposed schedule meets the reasonable needs of navigation while accommodating increased vehicular traffic throughout the county. Due to the active hurricane season and lack of comments to the previous Notice of Proposed Rulemaking we are reissuing the previous Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

Proposed Broward County Bridge Schedule
(1) Hillsboro Boulevard bridge (SR 810), mile 1050.0 at Deerfield Beach. The draw shall open on the hour and half- hour.

(2) NE 14th Street bridge, mile 1055.0 at Pompano. The draw shall open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter hour.

(3) Atlantic Boulevard (SR 814) bridge, mile 1056.0 at Pompano. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(4) Commercial Boulevard (SR 870) bridge, mile 1059.0, at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(5) Oakland Park Boulevard bridge, mile 1060.5 at Fort Lauderdale. The draw shall open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter hour.

(6) East Sunrise Boulevard (SR 838) bridge, mile 1062.6, at Fort Lauderdale. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(7) East Las Olas bridge, mile 1064 at Fort Lauderdale. The draw shall open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter hour.

(8) SE 17th Street (Brooks Memorial) bridge, mile 1065.9 at Fort Lauderdale. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(9) Dania Beach Boulevard bridge, mile 1069.4 at Dania Beach. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(10) Sheridan Street bridge, mile 1070.5, at Fort Lauderdale. The draw shall open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter hour.

(11) Hollywood Beach Boulevard (SR 820) bridge, mile 1072.2 at Hollywood. The draw shall open on the hour and half-hour.

(12) Hallandale Beach Boulevard (SR 824) bridge, mile 1074.0 at Hallandale. The draw shall open on the quarter-hour and three-quarter hour.

Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before March 15, 2006.

Mail comments and related material to:
Commander (dpb), Seventh Coast Guard District
909 S.E.1st Avenue, Room 432
Miami, FL 33131- 3050

E-mail your comments to: mlieberum@D7.uscg.mil

Please include your name and address on all correspondence. Ref Docket number (CGD07-04-136)

For further information contact: Mr. Gwin Tate, Seventh Coast Guard District, Bridge Branch, telephone number (305) 415-6747.

Dominion Boulevard (aka Steel Bridge), VA, Mile 8.8 AIWW:
NOTE: See East Coast Alert January 26, 2006 for the schedule details. We want to repeat the following:

The Fifth District USCG LNMs 03-08 advise that the Coast Guard is reopening the period for public comment concerning the drawbridge operation regulations; AICW, South Branch of the Elizabeth River, at mile 8.8, in Chesapeake, VA, because the Dominion Boulevard (US 17) Bridge is utilized frequently and members of the public have communicated to the Coast Guard that they would like to make additional comments. Comments on the interim rulemaking should be forwarded to COMMANDER, FIFTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT (oan) 431 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704, attention (obr), no later than March 10, 2006. A copy of Public Notice 5-1060, which describes the reason for the reopening the comment period, can be obtained by writing to the address above or by calling (757) 398-6222.

The Coast Guard will hold a public meeting to provide a forum for citizens to provide oral comments relating to the drawbridge operation regulations for the Dominion Boulevard (US 17) Bridge. The meeting will be open to the public. This meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 1, 2006, at the Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322-5598. Written material and requests to make oral presentations should be forwarded to the above address attention (obr) no later than February 28, 2006.

Chickahominy River (VA) Proposed New Fixed Bridge:
The Coast Guard is reopening the period for public comment concerning an application from the Virginia Department of Transportation for approval of the location and plans for replacement of the Route 5 Bridge, at mile 1.5, across Chickahominy River between Charles City and James City Counties, VA. The proposal will replace the existing swing-type bridge with a high-level fixed bridge, at the same location. The proposed vertical clearances of the new fixed bridge, from mean high and mean low waters, are 52 feet and 53 feet, respectively. The proposed horizontal clearance is 80 feet, between fender systems. The purpose of this supplemental public notice will provide an opportunity for adjacent property owners, area residents and businesses to make additional comments. The Coast Guard requests that you not resubmit comments already given. Additional comments on this proposal should be forwarded to COMMANDER, FIFTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT (oan), 431 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704, Attention (obr), no later than March 13, 2006. Copies of Supplemental Public Notice 5-1059(a), which describe the proposal in detail, can be obtained by writing to the above address or by calling (757) 398-6587.

NY-MT SINAI HARBOR
First District LNM 07 reports that dredging will be done in Stony Brook Harbor from February 16 - April 1, 2006. The hours of operation will be 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. On scene will be the dredge Shinnecock which will be monitoring VHF FM channel 16.

Rappahannock (Up)River, VA, Changes:
NOTE: My chartbook doesn’t even go past the first few of these, but some commercial vessels and other adventurous souls do go up this river all the way to Fredericksburg, VA, that lovely historical town at its headwaters. The first listed marker below is at Mile 32, several miles east of the bridge at Tappahannock. This upriver marking system should be easier for the Coast Guard to maintain, but small floating aids such as these are subject to easily being shifted off station.
On or about 1 May, 2006 the following aids to navigation changes will occur in the Rappahannock River:
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 22 (LLNR 15550) changed to Buoy 22.
Rappahannock River Buoy 26 (LLNR 15580) will be downgraded from a 5th class nun to a 3rd class nun.
Rappahannock River Buoy 28 (LLNR 15585) will be downgraded from a 5th class nun to a 3rd class nun.
Rappahannock River Buoy 30 (LLNR 15595) will be downgraded from a 5th class nun to a 3rd class nun.
Rappahannock River Light 32 (LLNR 15625) changed to Buoy 32.
Rappahannock River Buoy 37 (LLNR 15645) discontinued.
Rappahannock River Light 38 (LLNR15650) changed to Buoy 38.
Rappahannock River Buoy 44 (LLNR 15665) changed to Daybeacon 44 and relocated to mark shoaled area.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 60 (LLNR 15720) changed to Buoy 60.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 62 (LLNR 15725) changed to Buoy 62.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 64 (LLNR 15735) changed to Buoy 64.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 69 (LLNR 15755) changed to Buoy 69.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 70 (LLNR 15760) changed to Buoy 70.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 72 (LLNR 15765) changed to Buoy 72.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 74 (LLNR 15770) changed to Buoy 74.
Rappahannock River Daybeacon 78 (LLNR 15785) changed to Buoy 78.

Any comments on this change should be sent to:
Commander (oan)
5th Coast Guard District
431 Crawford Street, Rm.100
Portsmouth, VA. 23704-5004
Attn: Albert Grimes

Great Bridge VA Trailer Boaters Beware:
Believe it or not, “the Coast Guard has received a report of an old boiler covered at high tide near the Great Bridge Locks Boat Ramp in approximate position 36. 43.5N, 076 14.7W. Mariners are urged to exercise caution when transiting the area.”

Hatteras Inlet, NC, (Not on the ICW) Shallow Again:
USCG 5th District LNM 08 states that there has been a report of shoaling to a depth of 3 feet MLW in the vicinity of Hatteras Inlet Buoy 7 and Hatteras Inlet Lighted Buoy 8 extending across the channel and up to Hatteras Inlet Buoy 10. Mariners are cautioned not to transit this area during low water and to use extreme caution when transiting during other tidal states.

Winyah Bay, SC (Georgetown area):
Coast Guard District 7 states in LNM 07 that the following change will be made to the aids to navigation system in Winyah Bay:

Winyah Bay Range C Front Light: will be changed to a Quick Flashing White with an 8 degree spread. The light is now visible 4 degrees each side of the rangeline.

Winyah Bay Range C Rear Light: will be changed to a Flashing White ISO 6-s with an 8 degree spread. The light is now visible 4 degrees each side of the rangeline.

This work is scheduled to be completed the week of 20 March 2006.

St. Andrew Sound, GA, Mile 690:
The following is from my December 02, 2005 East Coast Alert, based on our observation on our trip south:

The shoal just north of the turn at R “32” is apparently building southward toward the channel. It is marked by a small green “31”, very close to “32”. We were down to 9.5 ft. showing on our depth sounder in the channel between “31” and “32”, at which point we became very alarmed and sharply turned to follow the magenta line which is now drawn on the wrong side of “32”. We went inside of “32” (west of it), where the depth immediately went down to more than 60 ft as indicated on our depth sounder. We have found that usually when the magenta line crosses on the wrong side of a marker, either it or the marker is in the wrong place on the chart. The wind was blowing 35 knots at the time, so we didn’t hang around to investigate. This is an area to approach with extreme caution.

NOTE: In the pages long list of “Discrepencies in Federal Aids” section of the 7th District Local Notices, I noticed that as of the 06 (Feb. 7, 2006) Seventh District LNM, that Marker “32” in St Andrew Sound is reported to be “off station”. It is also listed in 07 and 08 as the same. This is an area to Approach with Caution.

New Shoal, Old Place Near Lake Worth Inlet:
We and countless others have found this shoal over the years. The 7th District LNM 08 reports that shoaling has been reported in the vicinity of Singer Island Daybeacon 1 (LLNR 10211). A temporary unlighted buoy has been set in position 26-46-28.5440N, 080-02-24.413W. All mariners are urged to use caution while transiting this area.

They’re Drilling Holes in the ICW, Ft Lauderdale Area:
The USCG 7th District LNM 08 reports that on February 27, 2006 barge drilling operations/soil borings will commence at forty (40) locations in sections of the Intracoastal Waterway from the 17th street (A1A) Bridge north to the Middle River Drive, Bayshore Drive areas and Dania Canal in Broward County, Florida. Twenty (20) soil boring will be taken from sections of the Dania Cut-off Canal from U.S. Highway 1 east to the NE 3rd Street area. These drilling/boring operations will be performed from an anchored 24 foot wide barge platform in the approximate center of the river channel. The barge will be anchored at each location for period of thirty (30) minutes to one (1) hour or more. This project will conducted during normal working hours on weekdays only, with a completion date on or about April 30.

This information is not to be used for navigation. Consult the latest charts and Local Notices to Mariners and use prudent seamanship. Any person or entity that uses this information in any way, as a condition of that use, agrees to waive and does waive any and all claims which may arise from that use.

Copyright 2004-2008 Tom Neale