CORONADO, Calif. (KGTV) - There is renewed hope that the Coronado Bridge may soon have a fence installed to prevent people from committing suicide by jumping off it.
"I'm just hopeful that it's going to happen as soon as possible," says Rhonda Haiston, the founder of the Coronado/San Diego Bridge Collaborative for Suicide Prevention.
Caltrans confirmed to ABC 10News that they've signed a contract with the company Myers and Traylor to "design and construct" a fence spanning the full length of the bridge. The design will feature a mesh fence between vertical poles, similar to renderings presented during a 2022 meeting about the project.
For more than a decade, the collaborative has focused on a singular goal: to create some form of barrier to save lives.
"Our motto when we created the collaborative is #NotOneMoreLife. And we want to be able to say that here, for this bridge, this project," says Haiston.
Since its construction in 1969, over 500 people are estimated to have taken their lives by jumping from the bridge. Building some kind of barrier has been a hot topic for more than a decade.
In 2016, then-state Senator Ben Hueso began advocating for enhanced safety measures, sponsoring various bills for studies and funding.
In 2019, Caltrans installed four-inch spikes to deter potential jumpers.
Other advocacy efforts have included numerous public meetings addressing feasibility studies, environmental impacts, and design considerations.
Haiston sees the new contract as a major milestone. It gives her hope that all the hard work her group has done will pay off, and save lives.
“For the people who have lost someone on the bridge, I’m sure that it’s just something incredible,” she said.
Despite the progress, several steps remain before the project can be completed. A representative from Myers and Traylor stated that the company is still looking for the optimal way to secure the fence to the bridge. They also need to develop a maintenance and repair plan to ensure its durability.
Caltrans has already secured $90 million of the projected $140 million cost and hopes to finish the project by 2028.
In addition to the fence, Haiston's group is working to establish a memorial in Tidelands Park to honor those who have lost their lives on the bridge.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, help is available. Contact the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or the San Diego County Crisis Line at 888-724-7240.
