The City of Pasadena, California, is conducting an online survey on safety barrier designs for the historic Colorado Street Bridge to reduce suicide attempts there.
Four years ago, the city installed temporary barriers but aren’t aesthetically pleasing. According to the Public Works Department:
The City is seeking a permanent and responsibly-designed enhancement to the bridge railing to serve as an effective deterrent while preserving the national historic character and significance of the bridge. The vision of the City is to allow the community to experience and enjoy the Colorado Street Bridge and the Arroyo as a safe and beautiful environment now and in the future.
The city began working with Donald MacDonald Architects and eventually settled on three finalists for designs of the safety barriers.
The online survey is here. More background about the barrier designs is here.
I went through the survey in about 5 minutes. All three designs seemed pretty good, and I didn’t have a strong preference of one over the other. Your mileage may vary.
According to a September 2020 report in the Pasadena Star-News, more than 150 have jumped to their deaths from the bridge. The barrier design, once it’s chosen, is expected to cost about $5 million.
The Colorado Street Bridge was designed and built in 1912. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and its striking design has been shown in countless commercials and movies, including the Oscar-winning “La La Land.”
(Hat tip to Beth Murray; image of one of the Colorado Street Bridge safety barrier designs from the survey)
Oh man that ruins it. Just let people jump. They’re just going to go somewhere else, so the money will be wasted.
If they absolutely must do something, stack mattresses under it.
“Go somewhere else?” That’s rashly assuming there’s going to be another bridge with a deep gorge nearby.
Gold line ATSF bridge is a convenient alternative. The freeway below add certainty.