The law does NOT require using the sound signals neither from a bridge operator nor a ship while passing under a bridge.
Radiotelephone might be used instead - 99% of crafts requiring opening of a bridge have a radiotelephone and in fact it is the most popular and preferred method among mariners.

Operation of Drawbridges is regulated by
CFR TITLE 33--Navigation and Navigable Waters
CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER J--BRIDGES
PART 117--DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS
(http://tinyurl.com/d5dcs6)

Radio telephone communications. (1) Radiotelephones may be used to communicate the same information provided by sound and visual signals.

(2) The vessel and the drawtender shall monitor the frequency used until the vessel has cleared the draw.

(3) When radiotelephone contact cannot be initiated or maintained, sound or visual signals under this section shall be used.

Specific Coast Guard regulations for New Haven bridges:

http://tinyurl.com/c9lukh

These alarms need to stop. I'm sitting here in my office on east street, and I'm about a half mile away from the chapel street bridge, and I can hear that alarm ringing away.

ps- Voytec, your URL doesn't work, it brings up an error. Can you try to repost it or just summarize what it says?

Ooops! Government site sucks - their database does not support linking to search results . You may do it for yourself here : http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

Title 33: Navigation and Navigable Waters
PART 117—DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS
Subpart B—Specific Requirements
Connecticut
§ 117.213 New Haven Harbor, Quinnipiac and Mill Rivers.

I have sent over two weeks ago a very detailed email to the City Engineer who called me re: siren after I brought the issue on a public meeting with the Mayor. I haven't heard anything back yet - will follow with updates here.

The siren is driving me nuts - today inthe vening it went on 6 times within one hour!!!

I am happy to pass the email I just received from City Engineer - The sirens will be switched off!!

date: Wed, May 20, 2009 at 11:50
subject: Follow up - your call from mid-April, re: Draw bridges sirens

Thanks for your follow-up. I also had to verify some information and I directed the siren to be turned off yesterday. Let me know how effective that is.

Richard H. Miller, P.E., L.S.
City Engineer

Wish all my neighbors a quieter summer... I will close this ticket after few days of monitoring the silence!!!

Congrats on this sir.

Would love to not hear these blaring sirens.. Are they going off for good?? on Ferry and East Grand? Years ago it was just a ringing bell as opposed to the bomb raid siren that we currently have.

@ianc - It seems that I have got a positive response from the City to my legal research proving that there is no law mandating the usage of these air raid sirens... Neither Coast Guard nor CT DOT requires usage of them.

It is already 3rd day when the Ferry St bridge is silent... one would have think that the City would also silenced the Grand St bridge siren at the same time ... not yet.

Voytec, I'm right there with you! Although, I still hear the sirens on the Grand Ave bridge. When I first moved to Fair Haven (1994) I'm sure the Grand Ave bridge had nautical sounding bells, not the current "inner city bad car alarm cacophony" which plays out over and over daily. It's become down right Pavlovian. When I hear a car alarm I look for boats.

I guess after over a month of living in silence I can close the topic as finally solved. The Ferry Street bridge siren is no more stressing the neighborhood!

Considering these are gorgeous old bridges in a historic district, would it be possible to go back to a bell that rings every three seconds instead of the klaxons they are currently using?