Full Notification

“We recognize there is great interest in the exact start time for the 168 hour closure of the roadway and waterway surrounding the Ben Sawyer Bridge necessary to rehabilitate the existing bridge.

Because of the need to make the most of every second during this short closure time, the exact dates and time will not be known until the very last moment. While we cannot provide an exact time, we can begin to narrow the window of potential times during which the closure is likely to occur.

The closure window was initially set by the Design/Build Contract between the South Carolina Department of Transportation and PCL Civil Constructors to occur sometime between October 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010, but not between December 15th and January 1st. At the end of September 2009, the window was narrowed to occur sometime between November 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010 but not between December 15th and January 1st.

To make certain mariners with travel plans along the Intracoastal Waterway have enough notice to put their plans into place, the United States Coast Guard has asked that a potential closure time for the waterway be given out at least thirty days in advance. On October 9, 2009, the Ben Sawyer Bridge Project Team informed the US Coast Guard the earliest start time for the waterway closure at the bridge could be Friday, November 13, 2009 at 12 AM. A notice to mariners was distributed to mariners (see below) with the understanding the exact dates of the implementation and rescission of the corresponding safety zone for the bridge would be provided by the US Coast Guard Sector Charleston with updates to the schedule dependent upon weather.

For those wanting exact dates of the closure, this mariners notice gives a tight window. However, please be aware, this mariners notice is for planning purposes only and the potential closure window for the waterway and the roadway at the Ben Sawyer Bridge is between November 13, 2009 and January 31, 2010. The contractor is working diligently to schedule the closure and re-opening of the Ben Sawyer Bridge as soon as possible. However, the closure will not begin until everything is ready to go. Before the closure begins, the construction team has to complete necessary construction milestones on the bridge approaches and swing span, put the proper equipment and materials into place, and be able to coordinate with weather and tides during the 168 hours scheduled for the roadway closure.

Once the waterway closure has begun, the contractor expects to begin the necessary closure of the roadway for the rehabilitation of the Ben Sawyer Bridge roughly three days after the closure of the waterway.”

Kim Partenheimer

Resident Project Engineer, PB Americas

SCDOT Ben Sawyer Bridge Rehabilitation Team



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Commander United States Coast Guard Sector Charleston
196 Tradd Street
Charleston, SC 29401-1800
Phone: (843) 724-7600
Fax: (843) 724-7608

MSIB (63-09) –AICW 10-Day Closure 13-23 November 2009; Ben Sawyer Bridge, SC
Issued: October 9, 2009 1200
Expires: November 24, 2009 0600

Due to the scheduled replacement of the swing span of the Ben Sawyer Bridge, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) will be closed to marine traffic from Friday, November 13, 2009 at 12:00 A.M. to Monday, November 23, 2009 at 11:59 P.M.
A safety zone will be enforced around the Ben Sawyer Bridge during the entire 10 day closure. The safety zone will encompass the entire waterway from 180 yards northwest of the bridge, and 220 yards southwest of the bridge. No one may enter the safety zone without prior authorization from the Captain of the Port Charleston or his designated representative.
Mariners are encouraged to listen to the broadcast notice to mariners for updates on VHF Ch 16. CG Sector Charleston will broadcast the closure, as well as the implementation and rescission of the corresponding safety zone for the bridge. Updates to the schedule are dependent on weather and will be made to this MSIB, as necessary. For questions regarding the bridge construction call Julie Hussey with PCL at (843) 224-1096 or Kim Partenheimer with PB Americas at (843) 972-1775. For Coast Guard issues, please contact the Coast Guard’s 24 hour Command Center Line at (843) 740-7050.
/S/
C. K. MARCY
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard
Chief, Prevention Department









Julie Hussey

Civic Communications, Inc.

PO Box 871

Charleston, SC 29402

843-224-1096

www.CivicCommunications.com



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