Eighth Western Rivers Internet Training for Aid Verifiers
Bridge Verifications and Reporting

Last updated: 10 AUG 2006

• Historically, it has been tough for Eighth Western Rivers Aid Verifiers to properly describe Bridge Lighting and Fender Systems (Bridge) discrepancies such as:
• Lights that are not showing properly (extinguished, dim or out of focus)
• Missing or unreadable clearance gauges
• Damage to fenders or other structural parts

• Many of these reports do not fully or accurately describe the location of discrepancies
• Type / name of light, lens color, lateral reference, "as viewed from" position

• The Coast Guard Bridge Administrator is responsible for contacting the owners of bridges with discrepancies based on the information the Auxiliarists report on the Bridge Verification Worksheets
• Without complete information, the Bridge Administrator cannot do his job of following up on Auxiliary reports

• Bridge Lighting is Required:
• As prescribed by the Coast Guard District Commander for bridges over navigable waterways
• From sunset to sunrise
• In periods of reduced visibility (less than one mile)
• To be visible for one mile

• Clearance Gauges:
• Should be readable for one-half mile
• Are mainly found on fixed bridges
• Reading at the water level is the clearance from the water to the minimum low steel elevation of the bridge span. (For moveable bridges, the reading shows the clearance when the bridge is in the closed position.)

• Anyone Can, AND SHOULD, Report Discrepancies
• Verifications must be submitted by a Coast Guard certified Aid Verifier

A swing span bridge is mounted on, and pivots horizontally about, its center point. Bridge piers at either end of the moveable bridge span are called DRAW PIERS. The bridge pier in the center on which the moveable span sits and pivots is called the PIVOT PIER.

Swing span bridges may be Double-Opening or Single-Opening. Double-opening swing bridges provide passage on either side of the pivot pier, between the pivot pier and either draw pier. A single-opening swing bridge provides passage only on one side of the pivot pier.

• Each draw pier, or an attached protection pier, is marked by a 180-DEGREE FIXED RED LIGHT on both the Downstream (D/S) and Upstream (U/S) ends of the pier. This light is called a:

  "DRAW PIER LIGHT" or "PIER LIGHT"

  
  
• The pivot pier, or an attached protection pier, is marked by a 180-DEGREE FIXED RED LIGHT on both the D/S and U/S ends of the pier. This light is called a:

  "PIVOT PIER LIGHT"

  
  
• A third pier light, in addition to the two (U/S and D/S) DRAW or PIVOT pier lights described above, may be required if the DRAW or PIVOT piers and the attached protection piers are not straight on their channel faces. This light is a 180-DEGREE FIXED RED LIGHT mounted in the middle of the applicable DRAW or PIVOT pier in line with the bridge axis. This light is called an:

  "AXIS LIGHT"

  
  

• Three light fixtures, each consisting of two red lamps and two green lamps (see diagram below showing the span in a closed position), are located atop the bridge span at either end and at the center point. Each lamp in a fixture is located at 90 degrees from its adjacent lamp and shows through and arc of 60 degrees. When only the green lamps are showing directly upstream and downstream from these fixtures, then the bridge would be in the fully open position. This light fixture is called a:

  "SWING SPAN LIGHT"

  
  

(As Viewed From Upstream)

Note: In order to properly identify any red swing span light discrepancies on an open bridge, it would be necessary to visually determine which direction the bridge closes. However, never request a bridge to close if only to verify bridge lighting.

• Each bascule bridge pier is marked by a 180-DEGREE FIXED RED LIGHT on both the Downstream (D/S) and Upstream (U/S) ends of the pier. This light is called a:

  "DRAW PIER LIGHT" or "PIER LIGHT"

  
  
• When the bridge is in any position other than fully raised, the center of the bridge span is marked by TWO 180-FIXED DEGREE RED LIGHTS (one on the center-most end of each leaf span) on both the Upstream side and on the Downstream side. When fully raised, these lights show 180-DEGREE FIXED GREEN LIGHTS. Each of these lights is called a:

  "RED LEAF SPAN LIGHT" or a "GREEN LEAF SPAN LIGHT"

  
  
• A third pier light, in addition to the two (U/S and D/S) draw pier lights, may be required if the draw piers and attached protection piers are not straight on their channel faces. This light is a 180-DEGREE FIXED RED LIGHT mounted in the middle of the draw pier in line with the bridge axis. This light is called an:

  "AXIS LIGHT"

  
  

(As Viewed From Upstream)

• For facilities that have a GPS /DGPS capability, Aid Verifiers are asked to:
  • Verify LAT/LONG position data that is shown on the Bridge Report Worksheet, or
  • Provide LAT/LONG position data if not shown on the worksheet.


• A bridge location is defined by the extent of the Main Channel which may be marked by either a Main Channel Pier Light or a Main Channel Margin Light. The Bridge Report Worksheet asks for the LAT/LONG coordinates for both:
  • Left Descending Main Channel Pier (or Channel Margin), and
  • Right Descending Main Channel Pier (or Channel Margin)


• LAT/LONG data can be specified two ways:
  • In degrees, minutes, and thousandths of minutes, or
  • In degrees, minutes, seconds and hundredths of seconds (which is the way the data is shown on the Bridge Report Worksheets).


• Always use decimal points when recording the data. Dashes or spaces may be used to separate degrees, minutes and seconds. The following would be valid entries for the same position:

  45 – 81.520

  45  81.520

  45 – 81 – 31.20

  45  81  31.20

  
  

1. For each discrepant light, report the:
   • "As Viewed From" direction -- "U/S" (upstream) or "D/S" (downstream)
   • Position relative to the channel -- "Center", "LD" (left descending), or "RD" (right descending)
   • Lens color -- "Red", "Green", or "White"
   • "CHANNEL" – If Alternate Channel, must specify "Main Channel" or "Alternate Channel"
   • Type / location -- "Pier Light", "Pivot Pier Light", "Span Light", "Axis Light", "Channel Center Light", or "Channel Margin Light"
   • Discrepancy -- "Extinguished", "Dim", "Out of Focus"

     Examples:
             U/S LD RED MAIN CHANNEL PIER LIGHT
             D/S RED PIVOT PIER LIGHT
             U/S GREEN ALTERNATE CHANNEL CENTER LIGHT

2. For extinguished lights, also indicate:
   • If the light fixture is visible
   • If there is a red reflective square or diamond in proximity to where you would expect to find a light.

.
3. Report any damage to bridge protection fenders and cells:
   • Identifying the location as you would a light


4. Report the readability of clearance gauges:

   "READABLE"
   "NOT READABLE" (Specify pier location -- D/S or U/S, LD or RD)
   "NO GAUGES"