USCG Bridge Program
Registration Closes - 9:00 AM - 6/18/2026
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) will provide an overview of the Coast Guard Bridge program covering the mission to ensure safe vessel passage under/through bridges over navigable U.S. waters, regulatory authority, and the four core functional areas: permitting regulation, monitoring, and construction.
Note that this presentation will not be recorded.
Specific Topics Include:
- USCG Bridge Program 101
- Navigation Impact Report/ Preliminary Navigation Clearance Determination
- USACE Sections 404 and 408
- USCG Permit Application Walkthrough
- USCG Plan Sheets
- Project timeline development
- Post Permit coordination/completion reports/lighting
Learning Objectives
- Understand the mission, scope, and regulatory authority of the Office of Bridge Program.
- Describe the key steps and requirements involved in applying for a bridge permit.
- Recognize how navigation impacts, clearance determinations, and other vessel related concerns influence bridge design and permit approval.
- Outline the typical project timeline and stakeholder coordination (including other federal agencies, environmental reviews, and public notices) for a bridge project under USCG jurisdiction.
- Identify situations when exemptions might apply (or when liaison with other agencies, such as highway authorities, is required) under the regulatory process.
CE Credit: 5.5 hours
Registration
This event is IN PERSON only.
Location
Follow The Directions For Student Center East:
Student Center East
750 South Halsted Street
Chicago‚ Illinois 60607
Registration
Government Employee - $200.00
Member- $325
Nonmember- $425
Receive $50 off both Member and Nonmember ticket prices if you buy in a group of 5 people or more. Email staff@seaoi.org to arrange.
About the Speakers
Crystal Tucker, CIV USCG COMDT
Bridge Management Specialist, USCG
Crystal Tucker is a seasoned professional with over two decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Coast Guard, from which she retired in September 2020. Following her distinguished military career, she transitioned to the federal service, joining the Coast Guard Bridge Program.
Initially, Crystal served as a Bridge Management Specialist for the Coast Guard East District in Portsmouth, VA. In this role, she honed her skills in regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement, working extensively with state, local, and federal agencies on matters of bridge regulation, inspection, maintenance, and permitting.
In 2023, she transferred to Coast Guard Headquarters, where she continues to apply her project management expertise to update and provide guidance on the bridge program, as well as to review district permit packages. Currently, she is filling in for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) liaison, a position that relies heavily on her skills in interagency coordination to ensure seamless communications and processes for infrastructure projects involving bridges over navigable U.S. waters.
Allen M. Garneau
Senior Bridge Management Specialist in the Permitting Division, USCG
Allen M. Garneau has dedicated over 23 years of civilian service to the U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Program, where he currently serves as a Senior Bridge Management Specialist in the Permitting Division at Coast Guard Headquarters. In this role, he has established himself as a key expert in bridge administration and national permitting. Alongside his civilian career, Allen also served over 32 years in uniform, spanning both Coast Guard active duty and reserve service.
Allen’s civilian experience covers every aspect of Coast Guard bridge permitting. He specializes in creating, interpreting, and carrying out national policies for building, modifying, and removing bridges over navigable waters. He is also highly skilled at guiding projects through complex environmental reviews to make sure they meet all regulations and environmental standards. In his day-to-day work, Allen oversees the permitting process to find the right balance between keeping waterways safe and open for vessels while supporting critical land transportation needs.
Through both his civilian and military service, Allen's leadership and hands-on knowledge have played a key role in supporting the Coast Guard's mission to keep the nation’s waterways safe, secure, and accessible.
