CORONADO, Calif. — To prevent suicides at the Coronado Bridge, $14 million will be going towards a suicide deterrent system, Caltrans announced Friday.
The money comes from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) which will go towards the design of the deterrent system. In February 2022 Caltrans proposed the project. It would install an 8 to 10-foot vertical stainless steel net that rises above the side walls.
The project would also be connected to the I-5 connector over-crossings as well.
The funds are part of the $988 million set aside by the CTC for California’s transportation infrastructure repairs.
More than $450 million comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and more than $250 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, Caltrans said.
“This funding allocation by the CTC is an important milestone in the Coronado Bay Bridge Suicide Deterrent Project. Last year, the project completed the environmental review process,” said Caltrans District 11 Director Gustavo Dallarda. “This new funding is an important next step to allow Caltrans to move into the final design phase of the project. An untraditional project for Caltrans, but an important one that will have a big impact on the lives of many Californians.”
You can view more about the project, here.
In October 2022 a local Facebook suicide prevention group sent a letter to Caltrans asking them to speed up the process.
There is no estimation as to when the suicide-deterrent system construction would be complete.
If you know anyone that needs help, they can call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.