Golden Gate Bridge: Suicide Proofed. Sorta.

3.4 miles of collapsible "suicide net" for the Golden Gate Bridge: $50 million. Human life: priceless. Well, in a few years, that is, when the bridge's board of directors gets around to implementing the huge system aimed at preventing two dozen leaps of death each year. (That's over $2 mil a head!) Despite Mayor Gavin's rejection of the proposal, the board voted for the net 14-1 and two weeks ahead of schedule. (But also? The stainless steel collapsible net, placed 20 feet below the deck, actually sounds like as much of a death trap as the potential plunge.)

"Our next big challenge is to come up with the money," said a bridge district spokesperson. Not surprising: the bridge is $91 million in debt, and even though they just upped the tolls, they also added that $25 million anti-death moveable median project. A bit of good news for the car-less: >he board rejected a proposal to place a toll on bicyclists and pedestrians using the bridge. For the moment, at least.
· Bridge directors vote for net to deter suicides [SF Gate]
· Gavin on GG Bridge Barrier: FAIL [Curbed SF]For more stories from Curbed SF, go to sf.curbed.com.

Copyright CURBS
Contact Us