Unusual Notice To Mariners

[jimh]

I was searching the USCG website for information on a local buoy, when I came across a rather unusual and somewhat funny Notice to Mariners.

This notice was in regard to a bridge in Green Bay, Wisconsin that obstructs vessels navigating on the Fox River. It was listed as follows:

Green Bay Harbor Entrance Channel

Additional MSI Categories

Category: LOWER GREEN BAY - Green Bay Harbor Entrance
Channel/General/Bridges/Temp Deviation

Subcategory: Bridges

Description: On September 5, 2026, between the hours of 1430 and 1730, the Ray Nitschke Bridge at mile 1.58, over the Fox River will be secured to masted navigation in conjunction with the UW Madison and Notre Dame Football Game. Vessels able to pass under the bridge without an opening may do so at any time.

Apparently the USCG policy in this situation is that vehicle or foot traffic on the bridge due to a college football game on that particular Saturday afternoon from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. would take precedence over vessels whose vertical draft would normally require the bridge to be opened to allow them to transit.

Fig. 1. Foot traffic on the Ray Nitschke Bridge related to a football game in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

Ray_Nitschke_Memorial_Bridge.jpeg (113.55 KiB) Viewed 57 times

[Jefecinco]

Perhaps the local USCG commander had some skin in the game.

In my final Army assignment I often published "Notices To Mariners" for the navigable waters within the states in our district. If a lock was to be closed for maintenance, for example, towboat operators needed as much notice a possible. They, in turn, needed as much notice as possible in order to advise their customers. The customers could then order extra amounts to sustain their operations during the closure. This took on special importance for the US Navy so they could arrange to top off their aviation fuel tanks. The notices were always coordinated with the USCG before publication.