Elsewhere: Plans for suicide barrier, carpool tolls move forward Chron, Car toll proposal for Golden Gate Bridge goes forward Ex, Bridge suicide barrier will have a different look Ex
The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District’s Board of Directors certified this morning a final environmental report on a proposed $50 million net system beneath the bridge that is intended to deter suicides.
District spokeswoman Mary Currie said the now that the district has formally adopted the net project, it will proceed with the $5 million for engineering studies but still must find money for the entire project.
Eve Meyer, executive director of San Francisco Suicide Prevention praised the board this morning for proceeding with the net system, Currie said.
The full board also voted unanimously to proceed with plans to charge carpool vehicles $3 to cross the Golden Gate Bridge during weekday commute hours starting July 1 and raise tolls for multi-axle vehicles starting July 1, 2011.
The carpool toll and the increased fees for multi-axle vehicles will help close a $132 million, five-year budget deficit, according to the district.
The carpool toll will raise $1.3 million in fiscal year 2010-2011. The multi-axle vehicle tolls will raise $600,000 in fiscal year 2010-2011 and $1.2 million in fiscal year 2011-2012. Half the increase for multi-axle vehicles will begin July 1, 2011 and the rest on July 1, 2012.
