Golden Gate Bridge installs nets to give those in crisis a second chance
SAN FRANCISCO, California (KVIA) — This week, suicide nets were placed along the entire length of the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The reason, according to officials, is to try and save lives – and offer suicidal individuals a second chance.
With this new safety addition to the bridge, it raises questions about how other roadways across the country handle suicidal situations and improve safety on known suicidal spots.
The Golden Gate has had a long history of suicide and attempts. The Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District says that on average 30 people a year complete a suicide attempt annually, and hundreds pick the bridge as an attempt location each year.
The suicide barrier created below the bridge is made of steel nets, underneath the sidewalks which line the bridge itself. It's one part of a project worth more than $224 million. It is designed to minimize physical impacts to the Golden Gate, and limit impacts to bridge maintenance.
The net itself is about 20 feet under the sidewalk, and extends 20 feet out from the structure, according to the GGBHT. It was designed this way after a public process, which included insight form community groups which aimed to keep the bridge open, not interfering with the iconic design and preventing anyone from actually landing in the water of the San Francisco Bay.
The work has been underway since 2018.
Avery Martinez covers mental health in the Borderland as part of ABC-7’s Be Mindful initiative. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms like ABC-7’s to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.
