The USACE has announced lock operating restrictions for the WP Franklin and St. Lucie Locks. These lock restrictions will vary according to the lake water level and are effective 20 April 2009. USACE Official Notice
The Okeechobee is a 154 mile long waterway providing an inside protected passage across Florida. From its junction with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in St. Lucie Inlet, the Okeechobee Waterway follows the St. Lucie River westward to South Fork, through South Fork and the St. Lucie Canal. It enters Lake Okeechobee at Port Mayaca. After crossing the southern portion of the lake, it exits at Moore Haven into the Caloosahatchee Canal and from there into the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Okechobee Waterway can save 165 NM or more versus going outside and around the southern tip of Florida.
Caution: The limiting vertical clearance of the waterway is 49' at the Port Mayaca RR Lift Bridge.
It should be noted that the Okeechobee water levels vary dramatically from year to year depending on the amount of rainfall received. When water levels drop below a certain point restrictions are placed on the locks resulting in limited operating schedules to the worst case scenario when they close the waterway completely.
If your plans are to use the Okeechobee waterway you can visit the Army Corp of Engineers, Jacksonville, FL offices' web site at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil. Once there you can check out the latest navigational bulletins.
The table below lists the bridges and locks, their schedules, and restrictions along the Okeechobee Waterway from it's intersection with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Stuart on the Atlantic side to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway just West of Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico.
This list is believed to be accurate as of November/December 2009. If any errors or omissions are noted, please e-mail us with any corrections or recommendations.
This bridge and lock operating schedule can be downloaded for your personal use as a ZIP file. The file contains the schedule in Adobe (.pdf) file format. Please note: This is a Zipped file of 55 Kb.
Download Okeechobee Bridge and Lock Schedule01 July 2010 - Lake Level - 13.95’.
01 July 2010 - Route #1 Navigation Depth 7.94’.
01 July 2010 - Route #2 Navigation Depth 5.34’.
Please note as of February 2009, Route #2 (Rim Canal) is open, but mariners are advised that if they transit Route #2 they do so at their own risk. (USACE Official Notice)
Okeechobee Waterway |
|||||||
| Mile Marker | Bridge | Vert. Clear. | Schedule | Restrictions | VHF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | |||||||
| 3.4 | Evans Carey | 65’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 7.0 | New Roosevelt Bridge | 65’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 7.4 | Fl East Coast RR Bascule Bridge | 7’ | Usually Open | Closed for RR Traffic | 09 | ||
| 7.4 | Old Roosevelt Bascule Bridge | 14’ | On the Hr. & ½ Hr. M-F 0700 to 1800. Weekends & Fed. Holidays 0800 - 1800 opens on the Hr. & every 20 minutes thereafter. Other times on demand. | Closed M-F 0730 - 0900 & 1600 - 1730 Xcpt. openings at 0815 and 1645. Only opens if Brit Point RR bridge is open. | 09 | ||
| 9.0 | Palm City Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 14.0 | I-95 Twin Bridges | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 14.5 | Thomas B. Manual Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 15.0 | St. Lucie Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130 - 0600. | 13 | |||
| 16.0 | SR-76 Bridge | 56’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 28.1 | Indiantown Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 28.2 | Indiantown RR Bridge | 7’ | On Demand | Closed from 2200 - 0600 except with 3 hrs. notice. | 09 | ||
| 38.0 | Port Mayaca RR Lift Bridge | 7’ | Usually Open | 49’ Open (Limiting Vertical Clearance for the Waterway) | 09 | ||
| 39.0 | Port Mayaca Highway Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 39.1 | Port Mayaca Lock | On demand | Closed from 2130 - 0600. | 13 | |||
| 60.7 | Torry Island Swing Bridge | 11’ | Opens on demand 0700 to 1800 Mon. - Thu. and 0700 to 1900 Fri, Sat, and Sun. | Closed at all other times. (Rim Route) | 09 | ||
| 78.0 | Moore Haven Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130 - 0600 | 13 | |||
| 78.3 | Moore Haven RR Swing Bridge | 5’ | Usually Open | Closed from 2200 - 0600 | 09 | ||
| 78.4 | Moore Haven Highway Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 94.0 | Ortona Lock | On demand | Closed from 2130 - 0600. | 13 | |||
| 103.0 | La Belle Bascule Bridge | 28’ | Opens on Demand | Closed 2200 - 0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | ||
| 108.2 | Fort Denaud Swing Bridge | 9’ | Opens on Demand | Closed 2200 - 0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | ||
| 116.0 | Alva Bascule Bridge | 23’ | Opens on Demand | Closed 2200 - 0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | ||
| 121.0 | W.P. Franklin Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130 - 0600 | 13 | |||
| 126.3 | Olga Highway Bascule Bridge | 27’ | Opens on Demand | Closed 2200 - 0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | ||
| 129.0 | I-75 Twin Bridges | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 130.0 | SCL RR Lift Bridge | 5’ | Usually Open | Closed for RR Traffic | 09 | ||
| 134.5 | Edison Twin Bridges | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 135.0 | Highway 41 Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 135.5 | Midpoint Memorial Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 139.0 | Cape Coral Bridge | 55’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||
| 151.0 | Sanibel Causeway Bridge | 70’ | Fixed Bridge | -- | |||