PART 118—BRIDGE LIGHTING AND OTHER SIGNALS Authority: 33 U.S.C. 494; 14 U.S.C. 503, 544; DHS Security Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4. Source: CGD 75-046, 40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, unless otherwise noted. § 118.1 General requirements. All persons owning or operating bridges over the navigable waters of the United States or any international bridge constructed after March 23, 1906, shall maintain at their own expense the lights and other signals required by this part. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16312, May 2, 1986] § 118.3 Incorporation by reference. (a) In this part, portions or the entire text of certain standards and specifications are incorporated by reference as the governing requirements for materials, equipment, tests, or procedures to be followed. These standards and specification requirements specifically referred to in this part are the governing requirements for the subject matters covered, unless specifically limited, modified, or replaced by the regulations. (b) These materials are incorporated by reference into this part under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) with the approval of the Director of the Federal Register. The Office of the Federal Register publishes a table, “Material Approved for Incorporation by Reference,” which appears in the Finding Aids section of this volume. In that table are found citations to the particular sections of this part where the material is incorporated. To enforce any edition other than the one listed in paragraph (c) of this section, notice of the change must be published in the Federal Register [email protected] http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. (c) The materials approved for incorporation by reference in this part are: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 Standard Alphabets for Highways Signs, 1966. (Reprinted April 1984). [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] Editorial Note: For Federal Register www.govinfo.gov. § 118.5 Penalty for failure to maintain. Any person required to maintain lights and other signals upon any bridge or abutment over or in the navigable waters of the United States who fails or refuses to maintain such lights and other signals, or to obey any of the lawful rules and regulations relating to the same is subject to a penalty as provided in 14 U.S.C. 544. [CGD 75-046, 40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by USCG-2020-0304, 85 FR 58279, Sept. 18, 2020] § 118.10 Interference or obstruction prohibited. No person shall obstruct or interfere with any lights or signals maintained in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this part. § 118.15 Penalty for interference or obstruction. Any person violating the provisions of § 118.10 of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be subject to a fine not exceeding $500 for each offense. Each day during which such violation shall continue shall be considered a new offense. [40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by CGD 75-046a, 42 FR 56954, Oct. 31, 1977] § 118.20 Obtaining information. Persons desiring information concerning the marking of bridges shall address their inquiry to the District Commander having jurisdiction over the area concerned, or to the Commandant. § 118.25 Application procedure. Approval of lights and other signals required shall be obtained, prior to construction, from the District Commander of the area in which the structure will be situated. Application shall be by letter accompanied by duplicate sets of drawings showing (a) plan and elevation of the structure showing lights and signals proposed, and (b) small scale vicinity chart showing proposed bridge and all other bridges within 1,000 feet above or below the proposed bridge. § 118.30 Action by Coast Guard. (a) The District Commander receiving the application will review it and approve the lights and other signals proposed, or mark on the drawings, the lights and other signals required, and in the case of lights, cite the applicable section of this chapter which prescribes the lights required for the particular type bridge. (b) Upon approval, one set of drawings will be returned to the applicant with the notation “navigational lights and/or other signals approved as shown”, date, name and title of the District Commander. § 118.40 Modification of requirements. (a) The District Commander may modify the requirements for the display of lights and other signals on any bridge when a change in local conditions warrants the modification. (b) The District Commander may exempt bridges over waterways with no significant nighttime navigation from the lighting or other signal requirements in this part. (c) The District Commander may prescribe special lighting or other signals in specific cases when the lighting or other signals in this part may not provide adequately for the safe passage of vessels. (d) While a bridge is under construction, the District Commander prescribes the temporary lights and other signals to be displayed for the protection of navigation. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.45 Lighting for the protection of aerial navigation. The owner of a bridge which constitutes a hazard to aerial navigation should maintain, in addition to the lights prescribed in this part, such lights as may be prescribed by the Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration. [40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by CGD 75-046a, 42 FR 56954, Oct. 31, 1977] § 118.50 Inspection. Lights and other signals required or authorized under this part are subject to inspection at any time by Coast Guard personnel or authorized agents. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.55 Periods of operation. (a) Lights shall be displayed from sunset to sunrise and at other times when the visibility is less than one mile. (b) Operators shall not be required to exhibit the prescribed lights during seasons when vessels are unable to navigate in the vicinity of the bridge. (c) The operation of signals other than lights shall be as prescribed by the District Commander. Each case shall be considered individually. § 118.60 Characteristics of lights. All lights required or authorized under this part must be securely attached to the structure and of sufficient candlepower as to be visible against the background lighting at a distance of at least 2,000 yards 90 percent of the nights of the year. Lights must meet the requirements of this part. Lights shall be fixed lights excepting as provided in §§ 118.95. 118.110 and 118.150 of this part. Color specifications are not prescribed for bridge lights, however, the chromaticity standards for navigation lights in 33 CFR Part 84—Annex I are recommended. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986, as amended by USCG-1998-3799, 63 FR 35530, June 30, 1998] § 118.65 Lights on fixed bridges. (a) Each fixed bridge span over a navigable channel shall be lighted so that the center of the navigable channel under each span will be marked by a range of two green lights, and each margin of each navigable channel will be marked by a red light: Provided, Note: Until such time that major repairs to or replacements of existing fixed span navigation lights colored green are made, it is permitted that only one of these lights marking the centerline of the same channel under a span shall be visible to an approaching vessel. When major repairs to or replacement of such existing green lights are made they shall conform with this paragraph. (b) Pier lights. (c) Main channel. 1/2 Note: Until such time that major repairs to or replacements of existing main channel lights showing white are made, it is permitted that these lights show through a horizontal arc of not less than 60° nor more than 180° with 1/2 [40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by CGD 75-046a, 42 FR 56954, Oct. 31, 1977] § 118.70 Lights on swing bridges. (a) Swing span lights on through bridges. (b) Swing span lights on deck and half-through bridges. (c) Pier lights. (d) Axis lights. Provided, (e) Omission of lights. § 118.75 Lights on single-opening drawbridges. (a) Bridges in this class. (b) Draw span lights. (c) Pier or abutment lights. § 118.80 Lights on bascule bridges. (a) Lift span lights. Note: Until such time that major repairs to or replacement of lift span navigation lights are made, existing lights may show through a horizontal arc of less than 180°. When major repairs to or replacement of existing lights are made they shall conform with this paragraph. (b) Multiple parallel lift span lights. (c) Pier lights. (d) Axis lights. Provided, § 118.85 Lights on vertical lift bridges. (a) Lift span lights. Note: Until such time that major repairs to or replacement of lift span navigation lights are made, it is permitted that these lights show through a horizontal arc of not more than 60°. When major repairs to or replacement of such existing lights are made they shall conform with this paragraph. (b) Pier lights. (c) Axis lights. Provided, [40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by CGD 75-046a, 42 FR 56954, Oct. 31, 1977] § 118.90 Bridges crossing channel obliquely. Bridges crossing a body of water at an angle other than 90° with the axis of the channel shall be lighted in accordance with the regulations in this part with such modifications as are necessary in each particular case. § 118.95 Lights on structures not part of a bridge or approach structure. Lights on sheer booms, isolated piers, obstructions, and other structures not part of a bridge or approach structure must meet the requirements for aids to navigation in Subpart 66.01 of Part 66 of this chapter. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.100 Retroreflective panels on bridge piers. The District Commander may require or authorize the display of high intensity red or green retroreflective panels when the District Commander finds it necessary: (a) To better identify a hazardous pier. (b) To provide a backup for red pier lights, red channel margin lights, and green mid channel lights, which are subject to vandalism or otherwise difficult to properly maintain. If the District Commander determines that the nominal nighttime visibility required is less than one-half mile, the panels must be at least six inches square. If the visibility required is more than one-half mile, the panels must be at least 12 inches square. (c) To mark bridge piers or channel sides on bridges not required to have bridge lighting. Lateral significant red triangles and green square retroreflective panels shall be used. The panels shall be at least 36 square inches in area to provide a nominal nighttime visibility distance of at least one-half mile. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.105 [Reserved] § 118.110 Daymarks and lateral lighting on bridges. (a) The District Commander may require or authorize the marking of the margins of navigation channels through bridges with U.S. aids to navigation system lateral marks and lights installed on the superstructure or on the channel piers. The District Commander may also require or authorize the use of quick flashing, flashing, isophase or occulting red and green lights to mark the main channels. (b) If lateral system lights are required or authorized to mark the main navigation channels, fixed yellow lights shall be used to mark the adjacent piers and the centerline of the channel shall be marked with the standard lateral system safe water mark and occulting white light, instead of the lights prescribed in § 118.65. (c) The District Commander may require or authorize the marking of the centerline of the navigation channel drawspan of floating drawbridges with a special mark, diamond in shape, yellow in color, and with a high intensity retroreflective material border. The District Commander may require or authorize the mark to exhibit a flashing yellow light Morse Code “B” characteristic. The mark may not be visible when the drawspan is in the open position. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.120 Radar reflectors and racons. The District Commander may require or authorize the installation of radar reflectors and racons on bridge structures, stakes, or buoys. Radar reflectors are used to mark the location of the edge of the navigation channel or bridge channel piers. Racons are used to mark the centerline of the channel. The District Commander may authorize the use of Automatic Identification System Aids to Navigation in lieu of or in addition to a racon. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986, as amended by USCG-2005-21869, 80 FR 5330, Jan. 30, 2015] § 118.130 Fog signals. On waterways where visibility is frequently reduced due to fog or other causes, the District Commander may require or authorize the installation of one or more fog signals to warn the navigator of the presence of the bridge. The fog signals must conform to the installation, range, and sound frequencies provisions in Subpart 67.10 of Part 67 of this chapter. If more than one fog signal is installed on a bridge or in the vicinity, their characteristics must be different to distinguish each signal. The fog signals must be directional to the fullest extent possible to minimize adverse impact on local residents. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16313, May 2, 1986] § 118.140 Painting bridge piers. The District Commander may require painting the sides of bridge channel piers below the superstructure facing traffic white or yellow when they are significantly darkened by weathering or other causes so as to be poorly visible against a dark background. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16314, May 2, 1986] § 118.150 Traveller platforms. The District Commander may require under deck traveller platforms which may significantly reduce the vertical clearance when operated over navigation channels at night to be lighted with quick flashing red lights on each of the four lower corners. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16314, May 2, 1986] § 118.160 Vertical clearance gauges. (a) When necessary for reasons of safety of navigation, the District Commander may require or authorize the installation of clearance gauges. Except as specified in § 117.47(b) of this chapter for certain drawbridges, clearance gauges must meet the requirements of this section. (b) Clearance gauges must indicate the vertical distance between “low steel” of the bridge channel span (in the closed to navigation position for drawbridges) and the level of the water, measured to the bottom of the foot marks, read from top to bottom. Each gauge must be installed on the end of the right channel pier or pier protection structure facing approaching vessels and extend to a reasonable height above high water so as to be meaningful to the viewer. Other or additional locations may be prescribed by the District Commander if particular conditions or circumstances warrant. (c) Construction. (d) Numerals. (2) The size, type, and spacing of numerals must conform to the Standard Alphabets for Highway Signs and the following table. The nominal day visibility distance is the distance at which the clearance information needs to be ascertained by approaching vessel operators. The District Commander determines this distance for each bridge. Nominal day visibility distance (feet) Height of numeral (inches) Type of numeral Vertical spacing of numerals (feet) Less than 500 12 Series C 2 500 to 750 18 Series C 2 750 to 1,000 24 Series D 5 1,000 to 2,000 30 Series E 5 More than 2,000 36 Series E 10 (3) The length of the foot marks must be no less than the width of a single numeral used (except numerals 1 and 4), be the same thickness as the width of stroke of the numeral, and extend to the nearest margin of the white background. Foot marks must be spaced every foot for nominal day visibility of less than 500 feet, every two feet for a nominal day visibility of more than 500 feet but less than 1,000 feet, and every five feet for nominal day visibility of more than 1,000 feet. (4) Intermediate foot marks may be used when more precise determination of actual clearance is necessary. Such intermediate foot marks must have a width of stroke one-half the width of the stroke required for the numeral and shall be three-quarters as long as the primary foot marks. (5) The horizontal distance between the numeral and nearest edge of the white background shall be no less than one-half the width of a single numeral (excepting numerals 1 and 4). (6) The minimum width of the white background shall be no less than three times the width of a single numeral (excepting numerals 1 and 4) plus the widths of each additional numeral (when multiple numerals are used plus numeral spacing). (e) Maintenance. [CGD 84-022, 51 FR 16314, May 2, 1986, as amended by USCG-2012-0306, 77 FR 37315, June 21, 2012]