The installation of a suicide net on the Golden Gate Bridge is running two years behind schedule.
Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District General Manager Denis Mulligan said Thursday the construction of the net is going well, but the problem rests with the installation on the bridge. The original company tasked with installing the net was acquired by another company that Mulligan says has struggled with the transition.
Instead of being installed by January 2021, the suicide net is not expected to be fully installed until 2023. When finished, the net will rest 20 feet below the sidewalk and extend 20 feet out.
"Our message to families that have lost a loved one here is to know that the bridge cares, that we're committed to saving lives," Mulligan said. "We've increased the staffing on the sidewalks. We're vigilant with our patrols. We're stopping a lot of people. We recognize that every day without this barrier is a potential another life lost. So we're doing all that we can within the current contract law and the confines of the contract to move this project along as quickly as possible."
Families who have lost loved ones have expressed their belief that a suicide net could have helped prevent the tragedies from happening.
The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District said bridge patrols stopped 187 people from jumping off the bridge last year.
SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
