Rule2025-20163
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Newark Bay, Between the City of Newark and City of Bayonne, NJ
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 18, 2025
Effective
January 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. We invite your comments on this action.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51508-51510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20163]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 117
[Docket No. USCG-2025-0805]
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Newark Bay, Between the City of
Newark and City of Bayonne, NJ
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notification of temporary deviation from regulations; request
for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the
operating schedule that governs the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge. This
deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to
determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. We
invite your comments on this action.
[[Page 51509]]
DATES: This deviation is effective from 8 a.m. on January 16, 2026,
through 7:59 a.m. on July 14, 2026.
Comments and relate material must reach the Coast Guard on or
before April 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2025-0805 at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on
submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this test
deviation, call or email Mr. Gregory P. Hitchen, Northeast Coast Guard
District (dpb), the Coast Guard; telephone 571-607-8154, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#51162334363e23287f017f1938253239343f11242232367f3c383d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d1a2f383a322f24730d731534293e3538331d282e3e3a73303431">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background, Purpose and Legal Basis
The Lehigh Valley Drawbridge across Newark Bay, between the City of
Newark and City of Bayonne, NJ, mile 4.6, owned and operated by
Conrail, has a vertical clearance of 35 feet above mean high water when
closed and 135 feet above mean high water when open.
The operating schedule of the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge is published
in 33 CFR 117.735 and will not change with the implementation of the
temporary deviation allowing remote operation of the bridge.
Conrail has requested this test deviation to improve the efficiency
of bridge openings. Currently the on-site bridge operator must consult
with the Conrail train dispatcher in Mount Laurel, NJ, to obtain
authorization to open the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge. Remote operations
will facilitate direct communication between the mariner and the
Conrail train dispatcher, who has much better situational awareness of
the multimodal transportation picture.
This deviation will also allow the Arthur Kill Railroad Bridge and
Hack Freight Railroad Bridge to be remotely operated from the Conrail
North Jersey Dispatch Center in Mount Laurel, NJ, instead of being
operated by the bridge tender at the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge. The
operating schedules for the Arthur Kill Railroad Bridge and Hack
Freight Railroad Bridge are published in 33 CFR 117.702 and 33 CFR
117.723, respectively. These regulations already authorize both bridges
to be remotely operated, and their schedules will not change as a
result of the implementation of remote operation of the Lehigh Valley
Drawbridge.
There are 28 daily train transits that cross the Lehigh Valley
Drawbridge and a daily average of four bridge openings for vessel
transits. The bridge is normally maintained in the closed position due
to the average daily number of trains crossing the bridge. Newark Bay
is a major commercial waterway containing multiple waterfront
facilities. However, most of these facilities are well south
(downstream) of the Lehigh Valley Lift Bridge.
Conrail has requested to operate this bridge remotely from their
railroad terminal from their Conrail North Jersey Dispatch Center, in
Mount Laurel, NJ. Conrail has incorporated sensors and other
technologies into the bridge to allow for the safe and efficient remote
operation of the bridge. The remote operations system includes eight
camera views (four marine and four rail), marine radar, sonar,
automated integration system (AIS) sensors, integration software, a
dedicated phone line for bridge operations, radiotelephone on VHF-FM
channels 13 and 16, and an AIS transmitter to provide bridge status
(LEHIGH VALLEY BRG--OPEN, LEHIGH VALLEY BRG--CLOSED, and LEHIGH VALLEY
BRG--INOP). The AIS transmitter will transmit the bridge status every
two minutes and upon a change in bridge status.
The remote operation system is designed to provide equal or greater
capabilities compared to the on-site bridge tender in visibility of the
waterway and bridge, and in signals (communications) via sound and
visual signals and radio telephone (voice) via VHF-FM channels 13 and
16. The remote operation system also incorporates real-time bridge
status via AIS signal to aid mariners in voyage planning and
navigational decision making, a dedicated telephone line (856) 231-2301
for bridge operations, and push-to-talk (PTT) capability on VHF-FM
channels 13 and 16. Vessels may push the PTT button five times while on
VHF-FM channel 13 and the bridge operator will receive and respond to
the request and commence opening of the bridge.
The remote operation system will be considered failed and qualified
personnel will return and operate the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge, Arthur
Kill Railroad Bridge, Hack Freight Railroad Bridge within 60 minutes,
if any of the following conditions are found: (1) The remote operation
system becomes incapable of safely and effectively operating the bridge
from the remote operation center, (2) visibility of the waterway or
bridge is degraded to less than equal that of an on-site bridge tender
(all eight camera views are required), (3) signals (communications) via
sound or visual signals or radio telephone (voice) via VHF-FM channels
13 or 16 become inoperative, or (4) AIS becomes inoperative.
The test deviation will commence at 8 a.m. on January 16, 2026, and
conclude at 7:59 a.m. on July 14, 2026. During the test deviation, a
bridge tender will be stationed on-site at the bridge and will be able
to immediately take local control of the bridge, as required.
Vessels that require an opening shall continue to request an
opening via the methods (sound or visual signals or radio telephone
(VHF-FM) voice communications) as defined in 33 CFR 117.15(b) through
(d), via telephone at (856) 231-2301, or push-to-talk (PTT) on VHF-FM
channel 13. During the test deviation, if the North Jersey Dispatch
Center does not respond to a vessel's request, or is unable to operate
the bridge, the bridge tender at the bridge will take immediate action
to respond to the vessel's request for a bridge opening and commence
opening of the bridge in accordance with 33 CFR 177.735.
Conrail has conducted significant coordination with the U.S. Coast
Guard, Port of New York and New Jersey Harbor Safety, Navigation, and
Operations Committee, and other maritime stakeholders regarding remote
operation of the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge and its plan to perform this
test deviation.
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 vessel operators can arrange their
transits to minimize any impact caused by the temporary deviation.
This test deviation will run simultaneously with a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, under the same name and docket number. Both
documents can be found at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and comments can
be made to either document.
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.
II. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We view public participation as essential to effective rulemaking
and will consider all comments and material received during the comment
period.
[[Page 51510]]
Your comment can help shape the outcome of this rulemaking. If you
submit a comment, please include the docket number for this rulemaking,
indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment
applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
Submitting comments. We encourage you to submit comments at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. To do so, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, type
USCG-2025-0805 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, look for
this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click
on the Comment option. If your material cannot be submitted using
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate
instructions.
View material in the docket. To view documents mentioned in this
deviation as being available in the docket, find the docket as
described in the previous paragraph, and then select ``Supporting &
Related Material'' in the Document Type column. Public comments will
also be placed in our online docket and can be viewed by following
instructions on the <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> Frequently Asked
Questions web page. Also, if you go to the online docket and sign up
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted, or a
final rule is published of any posting or updates to the docket.
Personal information. We accept anonymous comments. Comments we
post to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> will include any personal
information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions
in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records
notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).
M.E. Platt,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Northeast Guard District.
[FR Doc. 2025-20163 Filed 11-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 18, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.