35.5 WHL West Larose Bridge

11367

Bridge tender will not open until tows are too close.

Establish an approach point at which the bridge will be opened to provide a safe passage. U.S.C.G. should work with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and the industry to solve this problem.

CLOSED

133 WHL Louisa Bridge

11350

Bridge not opened in adequate time for vessels attempting passage. This problem is greater with empties since you have to stop, and then have trouble picking them back up and building enough speed to get them safely through the bridge.

Bridge tender waits too long to open bridge, and approach signage is inadequate. West side signage stating "Drawbridge Approach, Half-Mile Checkpoint" is missing, and the east side signage (posted to a piling in the middle of the waterway) is too small to be read without binoculars from the end of a 600 foot tow, as the head of the tow passes the sign.

Establish an approach point at which the bridge will be opened to provide a safe passage. Require contact to be made with the bridge operator on Channel 13 at the half-mile checkpoint.

CLOSED

349-350 WHL (Bolivar Alternate Route)

11322

Mariners are not using the Bolivar Alternate Route to the Houston Ship Channel because of inability to accurately gauge the location of the route.

Address issue of insufficient, damaged or perpetually missing ATONs alongside the channel. If conditions warrant, feasibility of an inbound range will be investigated after lateral ATON issues are addressed.

CLOSED

(San Antonio Bay)

Install ranges on San Antonio Bay reach of Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

511-531A WHL

11314

Almost all ATONs in this reach are staggered, not gated, making channel definition more difficult especially at night or in poor visibility.

Work with industry to devise a plan to gate ATONs.

CLOSED

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