Bridge of Lions; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, FL

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 25530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11927]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD07-99-008]


Bridge of Lions; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine, 
FL

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard together with the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) and the Florida Department of Transportation 
(FDOT), will hold a public hearing to receive information concerning 
the environmental and navigational impacts of alternate bridge designs 
being considered for the replacement or rehabilitation of the Bridge of 
Lions. The bridge is located on State Road A1A where it crosses the 
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW), mile 777.9, at St. Augustine, 
Florida. The hearing will allow interested parties to present comments 
and information concerning the bridge alternates under consideration.

DATES: The hearing will start at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 1999. 
Comments must be received by July 7, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held at the St. Johns County 
Administration Building, 4010 Lewis Speedway Road, St. Augustine, 
Florida. Written comments may be submitted to, and will be available 
for examination between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays, at the office of the Commander (oan), Seventh 
Coast Guard District, Bridge Section, Brickell Plaza Federal Building, 
909 SE First Avenue, Miami, Florida 33131-3050. Please submit all 
comments and attachments in an unbound format, no larger than 8 by 11 
inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. Persons wanting 
acknowledgement of receipt of comments should enclose a stamped, self-
addressed postcard or envelope.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. N.E. Mpras, Chief, Office of Bridge Administration, Commandant (G-
OPT), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street, SW, Washington, DC 20593 
(202 267-0368); Commander Eugene Gray, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Aids to 
Navigation and Waterways Management Branch, Seventh Coast Guard 
District, Miami, FL (305) 536-5621; Mr. Joel Glenn, District 
Environmental Management Engineer, Florida Department of 
Transportation, Lake City, FL (904) 752-3300; or Mr. Mark Bartlett, 
Program Operations Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, 
Tallahassee, FL (850) 942-9598.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Bridge of Lions is a historic, sub-standard two-lane structure 
across the AIWW. The Coast Guard is concerned about the restrictive 
horizontal clearance that the existing bridge and fender system now 
imposes on commercial tug and barge traffic on the AIWW. These 
navigational concerns must be addressed sufficiently to allow the Coast 
Guard to accept an application for a proposed bridge replacement or 
rehabilitation at this location on the AIWW. The Coast Guard has been 
involved in temporary remedial measures to insure the safety of 
navigation through the existing bridge structure while plans are being 
prepared for a new or rehabilitated bridge at the reach of the AIWW. 
These measures include the placement of temporary mooring dolphins 
upstream and downstream of the bridge to provide tugs with tows a place 
to moor while waiting for slack water conditions to make safe passage 
of the structure. These temporary mooring dolphins remain in place at 
the time of this public hearing but the Coast Guard does not consider 
them a suitable long-term solution.
    The FHWA is lead federal agency for the environmental documentation 
for this project. The Coast Guard has been involved as a cooperating 
agency during the preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS). The DEIS identifies no preferred alternate for 
implementation. The selection of a preferred alternative will be made 
only after a thorough evaluation of the merits of each. The Coast 
Guard, in cooperation with the FDOT, owner of the bridge, and the FHWA, 
welcomes your comments on the Bridge of Lions project study. A U.S. 
Coast Guard Bridge Permit approving the location and clearances of the 
alternative eventually selected for construction is required before 
construction begins. Accordingly, it is extremely important to receive 
all information on the alternatives, which may present serious problems 
for navigation and bridge safety.

Procedural

    Any person who wishes may appear and speak or present evidence at 
this public hearing. Persons planning to speak at the hearing should 
notify Mr. Joel Glenn or Mr. Bill Henderson with the Lake City office 
of the Florida Department of Transportation, or the Commander (oan), 
Seventh Coast Guard District, Bridge Administrator, at the telephone 
numbers listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT any time prior to 
the hearing, indicating the amount of time required. Written statements 
and exhibits may be submitted in place of or in addition to oral 
statements and will be made a part of the hearing record. Written 
statements and exhibits may be delivered before or during the hearing, 
or they may be submitted for up to 30 days following the date of the 
hearing to the Coast Guard office listed under ADDRESSES. The DEIS is 
available in print format in FDOT offices as well as all St. Johns 
County, Florida public libraries. It is the official document sent to 
all governmental agencies for the final round of comments on whether to 
rehabilitate or replace the existing bridge.

Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities

    For information about facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities, or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Commander Eugene Gray, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Aids to Navigation and 
Waterways Management Branch, Seventh Coast Guard District at the number 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT As soon as possible.

    Authority: 33 CFR 115.60.

    Dated: May 5, 1999.
Norman T. Saunders,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Seventh Coast Guard 
District.
[FR Doc. 99-11927 Filed 5-11-99; 8:45 am]
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