The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District has lined up funding for a suicide barrier on the bridge, bridge district officials said.
The district’s board of directors will consider approving the $76 million funding plan Friday morning. The goal is to have the barrier, a net beneath the bridge, in place in 2018.
The funding plan includes $22 million of federal Local Highway Bridge Program money programmed by Caltrans, $27 million from federal Surface Transportation Program funds programmed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, $7 million from California Mental Health Service Act funds and $20 million from the district’s reserves.
In 2013, 46 people died jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge.
District general manager Denis Mulligan said the bridge district staff’s opinion is that “construction of the suicide deterrent simply is the right thing to do at this time.”
The district selected the net system suicide barrier alternative in February 2010.
James Lanaras, Bay City News
