Coast Guard authorizes Ft. Lauderdale New River waterway to close for 12 days in February

Click for Jan. 12, 2017 update.

By Dorie Cox

The U.S. Coast Guard has authorized the closure of the New River to navigation west of downtown Ft. Lauderdale from Feb. 11 to 23 during maintenance of the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) railroad bridge.

“The deviation to the bridge operating schedule is necessary to perform major bridge repairs,” USCG spokesman Jonathan Lally said today. “And this deviation allows the bridge to remain in closed-to-navigation position.”

The maintenance is part of All Aboard Florida, a high-speed passenger rail service to run between Miami and Orlando, using the Brightline train service.

“This temporary closure is necessary to avoid longer closures in the future,” Lally said. “We’re working closely with the construction company and local mariners to minimize impact to local waterway users.”

Current work on the bridge includes replacement of the machinery and electrical system and minor rehabilitation of the steel. And work during the navigation closure includes milling the two outer trunnions in place and removal of the trunnion base for repair off-site. The trunnion milling work will be performed 24 hours per day until completed, according to a statement from All Aboard Florida.

The river is closed to navigation from 12:01 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 through 12:01 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 23.

For more information contact:

All Aboard Florida www.allaboardflorida.com and Ali Soule, public affairs manager, +1 305-520-2105.

USCG 7th Coast Guard District Public Affairs, 305-415-6683

USCG Local Notice to Mariners www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm07012017.pdf

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Tagged all aboard florida, Brightline, FEC, Florida East Coast Railway, fort lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale, New River, railroad bridge