$76 million found for Golden Gate suicide barrier | Inquirer News

$76 million found for Golden Gate suicide barrier

/ 08:45 AM June 24, 2014

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge. STOCK PHOTO

SAN FRANCISCO — With $76 million in funding in place, officials said Monday they will consider a long-delayed proposal to build a suicide-prevention system on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District announced that its board of directors is set to vote Friday on the plan that has faced opposition for years because of the expense, engineering difficulty and public resistance to the notion of changing the look of the iconic bridge.

Article continues after this advertisement

Dennis Mulligan, the district’s general manager, told KCBS-TV that 46 people committed suicide on the bridge in 2013. The bridge has been the site of more than 1,400 confirmed deaths since it opened in 1937.

FEATURED STORIES

“On average about once a week we stop someone from jumping off the bridge,” Mulligan said. “On average, twice a month people die by jumping off the bridge.”

The agency said it has found funding to cover the $76 million price tag of the project. It said $27 million would come from the federal Surface Transportation Program; $22 million from the federal Local Highway Bridge Program; $20 million from its own reserves; and $7 million from California Mental Health Service Act money.

Article continues after this advertisement

Federal money could not have been used for the project until 2012, when President Barack Obama signed into law a bill specifically making safety barriers and nets eligible for federal funds, the district said.

Article continues after this advertisement

RELATED STORIES

Article continues after this advertisement

Man hangs self under Manila bridge

A Filipino’s cameo role at the birth of the Golden Gate Bridge

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH). Their crisis hotlines are available at 1553 (Luzon-wide landline toll-free), 0917-899-USAP (8727), 0966-351-4518, and 0908-639-2672. For more information, visit their website: (https://doh.gov.ph/NCMH-Crisis-Hotline)

Alternatively, you can contact Hopeline PH at the following numbers: 0917-5584673, 0918-8734673, 88044673. Additional resources are available at ngf-mindstrong.org, or connect with them on Facebook at Hopeline PH.

TAGS: barrier, funds, San Francisco, Suicide

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.