![]() ![]() Suicide barriers don’t qualify for highway safety funding in Caltrans’ budget, so other sources would have to be found. That includes the barrier and new enclosed workspaces under the bridge to allow for painting, repairs and other maintenance jobs that are currently done from on top of the span. Stefan Galvez, principal transportation planner for Caltrans, said the estimated cost of the project is $140 million. 10 - and various local and state regulatory agencies would have to approve permits for it.įunding will be a significant hurdle. The public will have a chance to review and comment on the project - a virtual meeting is scheduled for Feb. That would eliminate the need for a full environmental review, potentially shortening the timeline for the project.Īs it is, the agency is looking at a likely minimum of five years before construction could begin. ![]() The net would be a minimum of 85% transparent, according to the report - an important feature because that would minimize one of the project’s major environmental impacts: the loss of scenic vistas, both on and off the bridge, which are part of the structure’s historic character.Īfter looking at almost two dozen potential environmental impacts in the new report, Caltrans believes the barrier can be designed and constructed to mitigate them. The barrier would be offset behind the existing walls by 4 to 8 inches and would angle outward slightly. The net would be attached to the poles with tension cables at the top and bottom. The net would be installed on both sides of the bridge for its entire 2.1 miles, from above the Bayshore Bikeway on the Coronado side to Newton Avenue on the San Diego side.Ī continuous steel plate would be put on top of the existing walls to provide brackets for poles spaced approximately 20 feet apart. “Now we just have to keep pushing until it’s actually done.” “I think it’s wonderful that we’ve reached this point,” said Wayne Strickland, a retired Coronado firefighter and leader of a community group that has pushed for a barrier for almost a decade. ![]()
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