Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge

[Mr Link]

From Jan 1 through March 15th the Coast Guard does not require the bridge to be manned, so it is up to the bridge owner to decide it it is manned or not during that time. 12 hours advance notice is required if anyone wants the bridge opened during the winter period. Contact information for the bridge is published each winter in the Local Notice to Mariners.

That said, this winter they will be doing maintenance on the bridge from Jan 22 through March 5 so the bridge will not be required to open at all during that time, even with advance notice. And that also means there will likely be a lot of maintenance workers on the bridge. And if I were to guess,they will probably be using the operator's house as a place to warm up. And depending on what they are maintaining, they may have an operator on duty to test the opening and closing of the bridge.

§117.661 Duluth Ship Canal (Duluth-Superior
Harbor).
(818)
The draw of the Duluth Ship Canal Aerial bridge,
mile 0.25 at Duluth, shall open on signal; except that,
from the Friday before Memorial Day through the
Tuesday after Labor Day each year, between the hours
of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., seven days a week, the drawbridge
shall open on the hour and half-hour for vessels under 300
gross tons, if needed; and the bridge will open on signal
for all vessels from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., seven days a week,
and at all times for Federal, state, and local government
vessels, vessels in distress, commercial vessels engaged
in rescue or emergency salvage operations, commercial-
assist towing vessels engaged in towing or port operations,
vessels engaged in pilot duties, vessels seeking shelter
from severe weather, and all commercial vessels 300
gross tons or greater. From January 1 through March 15,
the draw shall open on signal if at least 12 hours notice
is given. The opening signal is one prolonged blast, one
short blast, one prolonged blast, one short blast. If the
drawbridge is disabled, the bridge authorities shall give
incoming and outgoing vessels timely and dependable
notice, by tug service if necessary, so that the vessels do
not attempt to enter the canal.




LAKE SUPERIOR –MN – Duluth-Superior Harbor – Chart 14975 – Bridge Maintenance

From January 22, 2018 through March 5, 2018 the Duluth Ship Canal Bridge at Mile 0.25 over the Duluth Ship Canal will be secured to masted
navigation. Vessels able to pass under the bridge without an opening may do so at any time.

[Guest]

Note usually. I believe they have an operator on call.

[Q]

During the cold winter months when the Soo Locks close and shipping goes silent is there an operator in the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge 24/7?
If there is, what is the operators responsibilities?