Coronado San Diego Bridge Collaborative For Suicide Prevention

12/06/2023

07/12/2023

https://thecoronadonews.com/2023/07/coronado-bridges-su***de-prevention-system-extends-target-date-to-2029/

The Coronado Bridge is the second most frequently used bridge for su***des, after the Golden Gate Bridge, records show.

04/07/2023

https://sfstandard.com/video/golden-gate-bridge-su***de-nets-history-progress/

Here's why the project took so many years to materialize—and what its completion means for survivors of su***de loss.

03/16/2023

https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2023/03/14/chp-reports-another-jumper-as-the-coronado-bridge-awaits-barrier-project/

A 39-year-old woman died Tuesday after she jumped from the Coronado Bridge, which is slated for a $14 million barrier project.

03/16/2023

Dear Collaborative members, regional residents and Su***de Prevention Advocates,

I attended the final meeting hosted by Caltrans District 11 for the appointed representatives and stakeholders for the su***de barrier project that will be installed on the Coronado San Diego Bay bridge. I am writing this to give an UPDATE on the project.

On March 1st, the meeting was attended by various government (state), County and City representatives as well as police and fire for San Diego and Coronado. Caltrans District 11's Director, Project Director, Engineers, Designer, and Project Manager were also in attendance. For a complete list, please refer to the archived live stream video located at YouTube.

The meeting was held to let us know that it was going to be the last time that we met, pursuant to the requirements stated in SB656, but that they would keep us updated on their progress and or any related matters that they felt were newsworthy. They added an additional 2 years to the total length of the project. So now instead of 10 years, it's 12 total. 2029 is when it will be completed. There was an uptick and it is that the $131 million price tag did not increase with the two-year extension.

We are now in the design phase of the timeline. They explained that this is a very complex project and that the funding is not traditional. Nothing that they have ever done before is like this project, so they're writing a lot of new policy as they go.

The funding for the design of the vertical net was awarded by SHOP (State Highway Operations Projects): $14 million.They also explained that the reason that they got CEQA and NEPA clearance in the beginning was so that they can get approval to use state and federal funds for a large portion of the rest of the money that will be needed.

I inquired as to where the rest of the $116 million would be coming from if it's not completely covered by state and federal funding. When I originally spoke with the Bridge Rail foundation about the Golden Gate bridge, they had stated some of their funding came from mental health grants so I offered my assistance to seek out additional resources if necessary so that they will have all of the funding when they need it.

The bridge lighting project is not going to be installed before the net is in place. That is all I have at this time. As always, I welcome any comments and feedback that you may have. Questions are never silly. Please direct message me if you'd like to or make a comment here.

Thank you all for your continued concern and attention to this very important cause.

Rhonda Haiston, founder
Coronado San Diego Bridge Collaborative for Su***de Prevention

01/20/2023

Bill Sandke, former Coronado City Council Member shared his personal contributions to the su***de barrier project with the Coronado Eagle Journal this week:

“The su***de barrier is another issue that I know my personal involvement with made a difference because, being on the SANDAG Transportation Committee twice a month, I was interfacing directly with the director of Caltrans and I was able to personally talk to him on this issue,” Sandke also noted.

He recalled working with the previous city manager, Blair King, on the project where they came up with a solution to getting the necessary funding by changing the direction of the request. “We talked about changing the discussion from preventing su***des, for which there is no state-wide funding, to operational improvements in keeping the bridge open and that ended up changing the narrative that Caltrans was able to discuss the project about.”

Now the project has dedicated funding that has allowed not only the initial studies to be done, but for the preferred solution to be designed as well. “We’re moving now to the design and engineering phase and that money should be approved by the end of this month in the California Transportation Commission,” Sandke added. “Those are some of the tangible things I’m really happy with.”

Thanks from all of us Bill!

11/23/2022

09/11/2022

https://youtu.be/_l6Yai4SjiI

By encouraging understanding, reaching in and sharing experiences, we want to give people the confidence to take action. To prevent su***de requires us to be...

07/14/2022

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-county-to-expand-mental-health-crisis-services-with-988-number/2994631/?_oso

Starting this week, San Diegans experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, including thoughts of su***de, will be able to call or text 988 to get help for themselves or a loved one.