Stuart - Friday August 18, 2023: A phone app and website are now available to St. Lucie River boaters that will provide them with the operating schedule for the Stuart railroad drawbridge.
One of the top requests from marine users has been greater predictability of the railway drawbridge’s operations.
The app was launched Friday, August 18th, by Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railway which operates the drawbridge. However the schedule is set by the U.S. Coast Guard which has jurisdiction over bridges which cross navigable waters in the United States. The app and website went live in coordination with the United States Coast Guard's August 15th temporary deviation.
To download the drawbridge app visit: http://www.bridgeschedule.com/. You can also search for “Bridge Schedule” in the Apple or Android app stores. A bridge app and website are already available for the New River drawbridge in Fort Lauderdale.
The apps communicate real-time schedule information providing the community with predictable and reliable real-time drawbridge opening and closure information, so users can plan their trip along the waterway, knowing when the bridge will be open and closed.
* Manager of Waterway Communications
In addition to the bridge app and website, Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railway have hired a Manager of Waterway Communications who will liaise directly with the marine communities in South Florida and the Treasure Coast. The Manager of Waterway Communications is a USCG-licensed captain and is based in South Florida.
* Drawbridge Monitor
The bridge monitor is the main point of contact for daily waterway usage and can be reached via VHF Channel 9 or by phone at 772-403-1005. The bridge monitor will be located on site between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. every day in the recently constructed a monitor house on the drawbridge.
* Message Signs
Brightline has installed variable message signs on each side of the drawbridge, which are interconnected to the railroad signal system. The signs display a countdown to each drawbridge closure and opening.
Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railway have partnered on these notification measures and worked closely with the USCG and area stakeholders on a new temporary deviation that will guarantee mariners more than 50 percent access to the waterway.