CFR > Title 33 - Navigation and Navigable Waters > CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER J—BRIDGES (parts 114 to 118) > PART 118—BRIDGE LIGHTING AND OTHER SIGNALS > 118.65—Lights on fixed bridges.

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, That when a margin of a channel is limited by a pier, only those lights prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section shall be required to mark such channel margin. The green lights shall each show through a horizontal arc of 360°; they shall be securely mounted just below the outermost edge of the bridge span structure so as to be visible from an approaching vessel. Each red light shall show through a horizontal arc of 180°, and shall be securely mounted just below the outermost edge of the bridge span structure to show 90° on either side of a line parallel to the axis of the channel so as to be visible from an approaching vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations

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. When the navigable channel extends from pier to pier or when piers are located within the navigable channel, each end of such piers shall be lighted with a red light. Each such light shall show through a horizontal arc of 180°, and shall be securely fastened at the end of the pier as low as practicable but not lower than 2 feet above navigable high water to show 90° on either side of a line parallel to the axis of the channel so as to be visible from an approaching vessel.
(c) Main channel. When necessary, the District Commander may prescribe that fixed bridges having two or more spans over a navigable channel shall have the main channel span marked with a set of three white lights arranged in a vertical line directly above each green light on the main channel span. Each white light shall show through a horizontal arc of 180°, and shall be mounted so that 1/2 of the horizontal arc will show on either side of a line parallel to the axis of the channel. These three white lights shall be securely mounted on the bridge structure and spaced as nearly 15 feet apart as the structure of the bridge will permit, with a minimum spacing of 7 feet. The lowest white light in the line of three lights shall be placed not less than 10 nor more than 15 feet above each green light on the main channel span.

Code of Federal Regulations

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 of such arc showing either side of a line parallel to the axis of the main channel. When major repairs or replacement of such existing white lights are made, they shall conform with this paragraph.

Code of Federal Regulations

[40 FR 24898, June 11, 1975, as amended by CGD 75-046a, 42 FR 56954, Oct. 31, 1977]