LTC 439-2020 Proposed Changes to the Weekend Schedule of the 63rd Street BridgeDocuSign Envelope ID: 94366E84-O90F-4O95-AB2A-5C230C1 EA4B4
MIAMI BE
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 439-2020 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
Jimmy L. Morales, City Manageu¡::Sign~rolt-s
D b 20 28CA1Í194070496 ... ecem er 4, 120
SUBJECT: PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE WEEKEND SCHEDULE OF THE 63 STREET BRIDGE
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) is to inform you of the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG)
proposed schedule for weekend openings of the 63° Street bascule bridge. Per the attached letter, the
USCG conducted a review of the current weekend opening schedule of the 63d Street bridge and found
that a change in the drawbridge schedule during weekends may better serve the needs of vehicle traffic
while ensuring the reasonable needs of navigation are maintained. Currently, the bridge opens on demand
on weekends.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. on December 14, 2020 through 11 :59 p.m. on June 11, 2021, the bridge will operate
on a new weekend schedule to test the general operations of navigation and vehicular traffic. The proposed
weekend schedule is as follows:
• From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays, the drawbridge will open on the hour and half-
hour ( only if there is demand), except on federal holidays when the bridge will operate on demand.
Currently, the drawbridge schedule includes the following restrictions which will remain in effect:
• From 7: 1 O a.m. to 9:55 a.m. and from 4:05 p.m. to 6:59 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays, the bridge will not open for passage of vessels, except emergency vessels or tug and tow
vessels.
• In February of each year, seven days prior to the City of Miami Beach Yacht and Brokerage Show
and the four days following the show, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the bridge will open for 10 minutes at
the top of each hour. The bridge would follow normal schedule outside of those times.
An extension of the proposed weekend schedule beyond June 11, 2021 is subject to USCG review and
approval. The City's Transportation and Mobility Department staff will monitor the weekend operations of
the bridge to gauge its impact on vehicular traffic and report its findings to the City Commission via L TC.
However, based on the frequency of current bridge activity during weekends, staff anticipates that the
USCG's proposed schedule change may have a positive impact on vehicular traffic flow.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Letter to FOOT Notifying of Schedule Change
F:\TRAN\$ALL\L TC\LTC - 63rd Street Drawbridge weekend operating schedule change
DocuSign Envelope ID: 94366E84-D90F-4D95-AB2A-5C230C1EA4B4
U.S. Department o~· Homeland Security l' g
United States
Coast Guard
Commander
United States Coast Guard
Seventh District
909 S.E. 1st Avenue, Room 432 Miami, FL 33131-3028
Staff Symbol: (dpb)
Phone: 305-415-6740
Fax: 305-415-6763
Email: jennifer.n.zercher@uscg.mil
16593/2362
October 20, 2020
Mr. Pablo Orozco, P.E, MSCE
Florida Department of Transportation
District Six Structures Maintenance
1000 N.W. 111th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
Delivered via email: Pablo.0rozco@dot.state.f1.us
Dear Mr. Orozco:
The U.S.Coast Guard received a request from a private citizen to permanently change drawbridge
operation regulation 33 CFR 117.293 that governs the 63" Street Bridge across Indian Creek, mile
4.0, at Miami Beach, Florida. The private citizen requested the Coast Guard consider placing the
drawbridge on a weekend operating schedule to alleviate vehicle congestion due to on demand
bridge openings.
The Coast Guard has reviewed recent drawbridge tender logs and made a determination that a
change to the drawbridge operating schedule during the weekend may better serve the needs of
vehicle traffic and while ensuring the reasonable needs of navigation are maintained. A test
deviation will be implemented for 180 days with a 60 day comment period to gather information
and evaluate how the modification might affect vessel and land traffic.
Under this test deviation, the 63"" Street Bridge is authorized to operate under the following
conditions from 12:01 a.m. on December 14, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. on June 11, 2021:
1. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the draw need open only on the hour and half-hour; except Federal
Holidays, the bridge will operate on demand;
2. From 7: I O a.m. to 9:55 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. to 6:59 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal Holidays, the draw need not open for the passage of vessels;
3. In February of each year during the period seven days prior to the City of Miami Beach
Yacht and Brokerage Show and the four days following the show, from 1 O a.m. to 4 p.m.,
the bridge need not open except for 1 O minutes at the top of the hour. At all other times
the bridge shall operate on its normal schedule.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 94366E84-D90F-4D95-AB2A-5C230C1EA4B4
RE: 63" Street Bridge 16593/2362
October 20, 2020
The U.S. Coast Guard will publish this test deviation in Federal Register. Additionally, an
announcement will be made in the Local Notice to Mariners and via a Broadcast Notice to
Mariners.
In accordance with the 2018 Coast Guard Authorization Act (P.L.115-288), Section 832 d.l .B, the
bridge owner, FDOT, must notify the public by publishing notice of the temporary change to
drawbridge operating schedule in a newspaper of general circulation in the place where the bridge
is located. FDOT must also notify the office of transportation and law enforcement organization
with jurisdiction over the roadway that abuts the approaches to the bridge.
This test deviation may not be changed or extended without written approval from the U.S. Coast
Guard. This test deviation is conditional and may be withdrawn at any time if the U.S. Coast
Guard determines that the safety of human life, the environment, or the needs ofnavigation become
endangered.
In accordance with 33 CFR 117.35(e), the bridge must return to its regular operating schedule
immediately at the end of the designated time-period.
The imposition of civil penalties may result for failure to ensure that all requirements of this test
deviation are followed in their entirety.
If you have any questions please contact my representative, Ms. Jennifer Zercher at (305) 4 l 5-
6740, email jennifer.n.zercher@uscg.mil or USCG Sector Miami Waterways Division Chief, LT
Samuel Rodriguez-Gonzalez at (305) 535-4307, email samuel.rodriguez-gonzalez@uscg.mil.
Sincerely,
/=== RAÁDALL D. OVERTON, M.P.A.
Director, Bridge Administration Program
U.S. Coast Guard District Seven
By direction
E-Copy: USCG Sector Miami Waterways Management, samuel.rodriguez-gonzalez@uscg.mil
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