Beginning Monday, April 5, people biking and walking on the Golden Gate Bridge east sidewalk will notice sections of the pathway narrowed for construction and storage related to the ongoing installation of the
Suicide Deterrent Net. The east sidewalk will remain open in its entirety during
regular hours, but people biking and walking should exercise extra caution when navigating narrowed pathways.
The contractor installing the Suicide Deterrent Net will be performing work that requires equipment staging and construction access on the east sidewalk during daytime hours, similar to the work currently being performed on the west sidewalk. During active working hours on the east sidewalk, the contractor will barricade the work zone and have flaggers posted at each end of the work area to encourage people biking and walking to use caution and mind the narrowed pathway. Equipment and materials will be stored behind barriers with adequate space for safe passage maintained at all times.
The contractor will require access to the east sidewalk for the remainder of project installation, however the extent of the storage and work areas will vary with construction activities. Suicide Deterrent Net construction began in 2018 and is expected to be complete in 2023.
Bridge visitorship has declined dramatically since the shelter-in-place orders went into effect in March 2020. The District has placed ample signage around entrances to the Bridge to encourage people to practice social distancing and wear a face covering when visiting. Bridge Patrol will continue to monitor pedestrian and bicycle traffic and take appropriate steps to help ensure safe conditions are maintained on Bridge sidewalks as construction proceeds.
About the Suicide Deterrent Net:
The Suicide Deterrent Net is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. On average, 30 people or more die from suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge each year while hundreds more are stopped from harming themselves through the efforts of the Golden Gate Bridge District Patrol, California Highway Patrol, other law enforcement, and citizen intervention.
Engineers designed the Net to minimize impacts to Bridge views and appearance. It has also been designed to minimize interference with the daily operations and maintenance of this iconic structure. The Net will be placed 20 feet below the sidewalk, extending 20 feet out from the Bridge. This design was chosen through a public process that solicited input from the community. The selected design allows open, scenic vistas to remain intact while preventing anyone from easily jumping to the water below.
More information about the Suicide Deterrent Net can be found on the
project website.
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Media Contact:
Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz
Public Affairs Manager
Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
pcosulich@goldengate.org
415-629-9999 (text is best)