HomeMy WebLinkAboutR7J 63rd Street Bridge63rd Street Bridge Openings
A Smarter Compromise
63rd Street Drawbridge
Drawbridge Schedules
●Current schedule
○7 AM–7 PM: Bridge opens every half-hour and hour, except during
morning and evening rush hours (7-10 AM and 4-7 PM)
●Proposed schedule
○Proposed schedule makes half-hour and hour bridge openings 24
hours per day (continues overnight from 7 PM to 7 AM)
●This was a counterproposal from the United States Coast Guard (USCG)
after the City’s original requests were rejected
Current Drawbridge Openings
●Only about 1.7 bridge openings per night (9 PM–7 AM)
●Minimal traffic benefit to changing schedule
●Forcing boats to wait solves a problem that barely exists
Quality of Life Impacts
●If proposed overnight schedule is implemented:
○Boats forced to wait next to homes at night for up to 30 minutes
until bridge opens
○Engines idling, bright lights, loud music
○Encourages nighttime marine loitering
○Safety issues
■Harder to hold position at night (wind tunnel and low
visibility)
■Boats may speed to catch openings, creating dangerous
wakes
Enforcement Issues
●Marine Patrol off water after ~9:30 PM
●Limited enforcement at night
●Marine Patrol has life safety work to perform during normal hours, not
just monitoring drawbridge traffic
Better Alternative
●Extend half-hour/hour schedule to 9 PM
○Limited vehicular traffic after 9 PM
●Keep on-demand openings overnight
●Continue crackdown on illegal charters
●Protect residents and waterways