Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Barrier

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Information Regarding Past Board Discussions and Actions Relative to Suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge (1983 – 2007)

2007 INFORMATION AND ACTION

May 11, 2007: A new website for the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study was launched. Visit this site to track the Study's progress, to comment and to sign up to receive Study updates via email.

January 26, 2007: As the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study moves forward, the District will be periodically issuing briefings such as this to update the public and media as to the study status. To read BRIEFING #1: GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE SUICIDE DETERRENT STUDY PHASE 1 MIDPOINT BRIEFING ON PRELIMINARY FINDINGS, click here.

2006 INFORMATION AND ACTION

On September 22, 2006, the District’s Board of Directors authorized the contract award for a Professional Services Agreement relative to Contract No. 2006-B-17, Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge, with DMJM Harris to prepare preliminary design, wind tunnel testing and environmental documents, and public outreach. On September 21, 2006, the Building and Operating Committee recommended that the Board of Directors authorize execution of a Professional Services Agreement for this project. To read the staff report, click here (PDF file).

June 28, 2006, a Request for Proposals for the Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge, RFP No. 2006-B-17, was released. Consultant proposals are due by August 1, 2006, in accordance with the information provided.

On June 28, 2006, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) passed a resolution revising which funding program the $1.6 million being provided by MTC towards the Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge would come from.

April 26, 2006, MTC allocates an additional $250,000 to the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study. To read the press release, click here.

April 12, 2006, MTC allocates an additional $250,000 to the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study, with a final vote on April 26, 2006. To read the press release, click here.

March 24, 2006 Resolution by the Board of Directors to undertake the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study as one project under one RFP and one contract (PDF file). To read the March 24, 2006, Press Release, click here (Word document).

March 10, 2006 Resolution by the Board of Directors to separate the Suicide Deterrent Study into two projects and to move forward with the first project (PDF file). The Board met on March 10, 2006, to discuss the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent System Study. To learn more, click here (Word document). To read the Board of Directors meeting minutes from March 10, 2006, click here (PDF file).

2005 INFORMATION AND ACTION

On January 27, 2005, staff made a presentation to the Building and Operating Committee on the History of District Activities Relative to Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Systems. To read the Committee report

On February 24, 2005, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District’s (District) Building and Operating Committee to discuss the process for development of a physical suicide deterrent system on the Golden Gate Bridge. To read the Committee report.

On March 11, 2005, the District Board of Directors (Board) adopted a resolution that approved proceeding with development of a physical suicide deterrent system on the Golden Gate Bridge once non-District funding in the amount of $2 million was identified. To date, $1.6 million has been identified in grant funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), $25,000 from the County of Marin, and $100,000 from the City and County of San Francisco. Read the March 11 Board resolution.

On April 21, 2005, the Building and Operating Committee met to discuss new policy-level criteria for use in evaluating physical suicide deterrent systems. Read the minutes of that meeting.

On April 22, 2005, the District Board approved the new policy-level criteria for use in evaluating physical suicide deterrent systems. Read the April 22 Board resolution.

1990s INFORMATION AND ACTION

On March 5, 1999, staff reported to the Building and Operating Committee on eight conceptual Suicide Barrier design alternatives. Read the Committee report.

On September 30, 1998, staff reported to the Building and Operating Committee on Z-Clip Suicide Deterrent Prototype. Read the Committee report.

On March 14, 1997, the Board of Directors adopted Resolution 97-69 to conduct preliminary engineering and prototype testing of the Z-CLIP concept for a suicide barrier. Resolution 97-69

On March 7, 1997, staff made a presentation to the Building and Operating Committee on a New Suicide Deterrent Concept (called the Z-Clip concept). This particular report also include seven additional background staff reports that were presented to the Building and Operating Committee previously in 1993, 1994 and 1995 (also included in link). Read the Committee report.

1980s INFORMATION AND ACTION

On December 22, 1983, by Resolution No. 83-403 the Board of Directors approved a policy statement regarding suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge for inclusion in the Rules of the Board, Rule XIII, Public Information Guidelines that read as follows: Due to the sensitivity of the issue of suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge, and in keeping with the Board’s conviction that media attention to Bridge suicides has the potential for incidents of suicides to increase, release of factual information by District employees concerning suicide shall be issued only with the prior approval of the General Manager, and granting of requests for media interviews concerning Bridge suicides shall be issued only with prior approval of the General Manger.

NOTE: At some point subsequent to 1983, this policy was removed from the Rules of the Board, Public Information Guidelines.

1970s INFORMATION AND ACTION

In the early 1970s, the Board of Directors had consultants at Ashen and Allen conceptually evaluate several physical suicide deterrents or barriers. Click here to read the executive summary of the consultant’s report.

OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST

San Francisco Chronicle 2005 series "Lethal Beauty"

New Yorker Magazine article, October 2003

The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge - a good example of a suspension span responding to wind


Site Map
	Archives Information Regarding Past Board Discussions and Actions Relative to Suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge (1983 – 2007) 2007 INFORMATION AND ACTION May 11, 2007: A new website for the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study was launched. Visit this site to track the Study's progress, to comment and to sign up to receive Study updates via email. January 26, 2007: As the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study moves forward, the District will be periodically issuing briefings such as this to update the public and media as to the study status. To read BRIEFING #1: GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE SUICIDE DETERRENT STUDY PHASE 1 MIDPOINT BRIEFING ON PRELIMINARY FINDINGS, click here. 2006 INFORMATION AND ACTION On September 22, 2006, the District’s Board of Directors authorized the contract award for a Professional Services Agreement relative to Contract No. 2006-B-17, Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge, with DMJM Harris to prepare preliminary design, wind tunnel testing and environmental documents, and public outreach. On September 21, 2006, the Building and Operating Committee recommended that the Board of Directors authorize execution of a Professional Services Agreement for this project. To read the staff report, click here (PDF file). June 28, 2006, a Request for Proposals for the Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge, RFP No. 2006-B-17, was released. Consultant proposals are due by August 1, 2006, in accordance with the information provided. On June 28, 2006, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) passed a resolution revising which funding program the $1.6 million being provided by MTC towards the Environmental Studies and Preliminary Design for a Suicide Deterrent System on the Golden Gate Bridge would come from. April 26, 2006, MTC allocates an additional $250,000 to the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study. To read the press release, click here. April 12, 2006, MTC allocates an additional $250,000 to the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study, with a final vote on April 26, 2006. To read the press release, click here. March 24, 2006 Resolution by the Board of Directors to undertake the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Study as one project under one RFP and one contract (PDF file). To read the March 24, 2006, Press Release, click here (Word document). March 10, 2006 Resolution by the Board of Directors to separate the Suicide Deterrent Study into two projects and to move forward with the first project (PDF file). The Board met on March 10, 2006, to discuss the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent System Study. To learn more, click here (Word document). To read the Board of Directors meeting minutes from March 10, 2006, click here (PDF file). 2005 INFORMATION AND ACTION On January 27, 2005, staff made a presentation to the Building and Operating Committee on the History of District Activities Relative to Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Systems. To read the Committee report On February 24, 2005, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District’s (District) Building and Operating Committee to discuss the process for development of a physical suicide deterrent system on the Golden Gate Bridge. To read the Committee report. On March 11, 2005, the District Board of Directors (Board) adopted a resolution that approved proceeding with development of a physical suicide deterrent system on the Golden Gate Bridge once non-District funding in the amount of $2 million was identified. To date, $1.6 million has been identified in grant funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), $25,000 from the County of Marin, and $100,000 from the City and County of San Francisco. Read the March 11 Board resolution. On April 21, 2005, the Building and Operating Committee met to discuss new policy-level criteria for use in evaluating physical suicide deterrent systems. Read the minutes of that meeting. On April 22, 2005, the District Board approved the new policy-level criteria for use in evaluating physical suicide deterrent systems. Read the April 22 Board resolution. 1990s INFORMATION AND ACTION On March 5, 1999, staff reported to the Building and Operating Committee on eight conceptual Suicide Barrier design alternatives. Read the Committee report. On September 30, 1998, staff reported to the Building and Operating Committee on Z-Clip Suicide Deterrent Prototype. Read the Committee report. On March 14, 1997, the Board of Directors adopted Resolution 97-69 to conduct preliminary engineering and prototype testing of the Z-CLIP concept for a suicide barrier. Resolution 97-69 On March 7, 1997, staff made a presentation to the Building and Operating Committee on a New Suicide Deterrent Concept (called the Z-Clip concept). This particular report also include seven additional background staff reports that were presented to the Building and Operating Committee previously in 1993, 1994 and 1995 (also included in link). Read the Committee report. 1980s INFORMATION AND ACTION On December 22, 1983, by Resolution No. 83-403 the Board of Directors approved a policy statement regarding suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge for inclusion in the Rules of the Board, Rule XIII, Public Information Guidelines that read as follows: Due to the sensitivity of the issue of suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge, and in keeping with the Board’s conviction that media attention to Bridge suicides has the potential for incidents of suicides to increase, release of factual information by District employees concerning suicide shall be issued only with the prior approval of the General Manager, and granting of requests for media interviews concerning Bridge suicides shall be issued only with prior approval of the General Manger. NOTE: At some point subsequent to 1983, this policy was removed from the Rules of the Board, Public Information Guidelines. 1970s INFORMATION AND ACTION In the early 1970s, the Board of Directors had consultants at Ashen and Allen conceptually evaluate several physical suicide deterrents or barriers. Click here to read the executive summary of the consultant’s report. OTHER INFORMATION OF INTEREST San Francisco Chronicle 2005 series "Lethal Beauty" New Yorker Magazine article, October 2003 The collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge - a good example of a suspension span responding to wind

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