MIAMI – The Coast Guard issued a final rule for the operating schedule that governs the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge, across the Okeechobee Waterway, mile 7.41 in Stuart.
This rule is effective Nov. 17 and will allow the drawbridge to operate on a more predictable and reliable schedule to meet the needs of competing modes of transportation.
33 CFR 117.317 Okeechobee Waterway can be found at www.regulations.gov. Type the docket number, USCG-2022-0222, in the search box and click “Search”. Refine the search results by selecting “Rule” under Document Type.
The final rule indicates:
- The drawbridge will be tended from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily. The bridge tender will monitor VHF–FM channels 9 and 16 and will provide estimated times of drawbridge openings and closures, or any operational information requested. Operational information will be provided 24 hours a day by telephone at 305-889-5576.
- From 8:01 p.m. until 5:59 a.m. daily, the drawbridge will remain in the fully open-to-navigation position, except during periods when it is closed for the passage of train traffic, to conduct inspections, and to perform maintenance and repairs authorized by the Coast Guard.
“As the regulatory agency responsible for drawbridge operating regulations, the Coast Guard’s priority is to establish a predictable operating schedule that allows mariners reasonable and safe access to the waterway,” said Randall Overton, director of the Coast Guard Southeast District bridge program. “The Coast Guard is committed to striking a reasonable balance between the competing needs of land and waterborne modes of transportation.”
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