FEC Strauss Bridge JAX

Does anyone know the vertical clearance of the small boat span of the railroad bridge in Jacksonville? The main span with 5 foot clearance apparently will be closed from Jan 30 to Feb 10, exactly the time we would like to be transiting.

Roger Long said:

Does anyone know the vertical clearance of the small boat span of the railroad bridge in Jacksonville? The main span with 5 foot clearance apparently will be closed from Jan 30 to Feb 10, exactly the time we would like to be transiting.

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When open there is no height limit on that railroad bridge.

There is a sign pointing small boats towards the south bank if closed, but that is for really small bass boats or small center consoles. I doubt the clearance is much more than 10 feet.

Where did you get the info that it was closing during that period?

menzies said:

Where did you get the info that it was closing during that period?

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Local Notice to Mariners via Cruiser's Net.

Florida East Coast Railway requested a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Florida East Coast Railway Bridge, St. Johns River, mile 24.9, Jacksonville, FL. The bridge is a single leaf bascule railway bridge with a five foot vertical clearance in the closed position. The bridge currently operates under 33 CFR 117.325. The deviation period is from 7:00 a.m. on January 11, 2017 to 6:00 p.m. on February 10, 2017. During this period the Bridge is allowed to remain closed to navigation from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 11th , from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday January the 12th, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday January 13th , from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday January the 18th and Thursday January 19th , and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday January the 20th, 2017. Additionally, the bridge will be allowed to remain closed to navigation from 7:00 a.m. Monday January 30, 2017 through 6:00 p.m. on Friday February 10th, 2017.
The Coast Guard coordinated this closure period with the bridge owner and the waterway users. The bridge will not be able to open for emergencies; the small boat span can be used as an alternate route for vessels unable to pass through the bridge in closed positions. 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. Chart 11419 LNM 51/16

OK, that makes more sense. I couldn't see how they could close it on a permanent full day basis since working boats use the river. It looks like you have a two hour window around lunchtime every day. Or anytime after 5/6 pm (though it will be dark then at this time of the year).

You will have to time your arrival for lunchtime. You can actually tie up at the Landing for up to three days, though there are no facilities. So if you get there the morning of, or the night before, you can watch until it opens then pass through.

Page 52 also.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm07012017.pdf

Additionally, the bridge will be allowed to remain closed to navigation from 7:00 a.m. Monday January 30, 2017 through 6:00 p.m. on Friday February 10th, 2017.



It looks there may not be any openings during this period.

Larry M said:

Additionally, the bridge will be allowed to remain closed to navigation from 7:00 a.m. Monday January 30, 2017 through 6:00 p.m. on Friday February 10th, 2017.



It looks there may not be any openings during this period.

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Missed that line. That seems awfully strange given the traffic to Green Cove Springs and further?

menzies said:

That seems awfully strange given the traffic to Green Cove Springs and further?

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Not strange at all if major work is needed on the opening mechanism. Maintenance on things like this have been deferred for years and even decades. The highway bridge between the PA and NJ turnpikes is closed indefinitely because a truss cracked clear through.

The so-called small-boat span is impassable for anything much more than a bass or jon-boat. The last time the FEC Railway Bridge was closed for an unplanned maintenance / repair event, there was an uproar in the local commercial fishing community, as numerous workboats were trapped on the "wrong" (to them) side of the bridge.

Updates may be available from the City of Jacksonville Dockmaster, at (904) 630-0839, e-mail at jsuber@coj.net, or fax at (904) 355-4857.

This bridge is a perennial problem. It is a major chokepoint for waterborne traffic on the lower St. Johns River, as well as for north/southbound rail traffic along the east coast of Florida. Elevating it is problematic, owing to the flat surrounding terrain and lack of sufficient approach grades in a dense urban setting.

And the FEC wants to run passenger service across it many more times a day than now.