§117.735. Newark Bay.
33 C.F.R. § 117.735
The following requirements apply to all bridges across this waterway—
Public vessels of the United States, state or local vessels used for public service, and vessels in distress shall be passed through the draw without delay. The opening signal from these vessels is four or more short blasts of a whistle or horn or a radio request.
The owners of these bridges shall provide and keep in good legible condition two board gages painted white with black figures not less than 12 inches high to indicate the vertical clearance under the closed draw at all stages of the tide. The gauges shall be so placed on the bridge that they are plainly visible to operators of vessels approaching the bridge either up or downstream.
Trains and locomotives shall be controlled so that any delay in opening the draw span shall not exceed five minutes. However, if a train moving toward the bridge has crossed the home signal for the bridge before the signal requesting opening of the bridge is given, the train may continue across the bridge and must clear the bridge interlocks before stopping.
The draw of the Lehigh Valley Drawbridge, mile 4.6, between the City of Newark and City of Bayonne, NJ, shall be operated from a remote location at all times, except when it is tended locally.
Closed circuit television cameras shall be operated and maintained at the bridge site to enable the remotely located bridge tender to have a full view of both vessel traffic and the bridge.
Radiotelephone Channel 13/16 VHF-FM shall be maintained and utilized to facilitate communication in both remote and local control locations. A push-to-talk (PTT) will be maintained on VHF-FM channel 13. Vessels may push the PTT button five times while on VHF-FM channel 13 and the remotely located bridge tender will receive and respond to the request and commence opening of the bridge.
The bridge shall also be equipped with directional microphones and horns to receive and deliver signals to vessels.
A telephone number will be maintained and posted for mariners to directly contact the remotely located bridge tender.
Whenever the remote-control system equipment is partially disabled or fails for any reason, the bridge shall be physically tended and operated by local control as soon as possible, but no more than 60 minutes after malfunction or disability of the remote system. Mechanical bypass and override capability of the remote system shall be provided and maintained.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Amendments
[USCG-2025-0805, 91 FR 45204, July 20, 2026]
Authority
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 499; 33 CFR 1.05-1; and DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4.
Source
Source: CGD 82-025, 49 FR 17452, Apr. 24, 1984, unless otherwise noted.
Amendments
[USCG-2025-0805, 91 FR 45204, July 20, 2026]