The Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission has decided to install suicide barriers along the entire length of the Macdonald Bridge. The barriers, expected to cost “at least $500,000, per side” will be constructed along the pedestrian walkway on the south side of the bridge this year, and along the bicycle path on the north side of the bridge next year, says Steve Snider, CEO of the bridge commission.
Snider expects tenders for the project to go out in June, and work to commence by July.
Suicides from the Macdonald Bridge were the subject of Coast writer Matt Aikins’ piece, “Adam’s fall,” for which Aikins won an Atlantic Journalism Award and has been nominated for two Canadian Association of Journalists awards, being announced May 23. As Aikins explained:
In August last summer [2007], workers completed a steel extension along the outer railings of the bicycle and pedestrian walkways of the Macdonald Bridge. Ten feet high, with an inward-curving top section, the barriers seem nearly impossible to scale. They run for 357 metres, out past the end of the Navy dockyards, before ending abruptly over the water’s edge—right about where Adam jumped. Beyond there, for the rest of the bridge’s 1.3km span, nothing impedes the magnificent view from the walkway, both of Halifax Harbour and of the dizzying vertical drop below.
This partial barrier is a result of a 2004 lawsuit, filed by the Department of National Defence, alleging that the bridge commission had reneged on a previous agreement to protect DND workers from falling objects. Steve Snider, the commission’s CEO, claims the barriers, which cost $500,000, are not intended to prevent suicides. “It’s to protect people who work at the Department of National Defence from objects that are thrown or falling from the bridge,” he says.
Falling objects such as jumpers? “Yes,” says Snider. Indeed, court files relating to the lawsuit describe a number of documents relating to jumpers and property damage exchanged between the commission and the DND. (The commission denied a request for those documents.)
[…]
Snider says that while a partial barrier was feasible, a full-length one is not. “Based on the engineering that’s been done, we are not able to accommodate that type of weight on the entire structure,” he says. “This is a long-standing opinion.”
The bridge commission reverses its long-standing opposition to building “safety barriers”—Snider refuses to call them “suicide barriers”— because a recent “health analysis” of the bridge showed that it was stronger than previously believed, says Snider.
“As an organization and as a board,” explains Snider, “we are comfortable putting up a safety barrier across the structure. From our perspective we were working with an engineering opinion that said we can’t do this, and then we had an engineering opinion that said, ‘well, you know, this is something that you could do over Department of National Defence [land],’ and it was in response to some ongoing safety concerns for their people working below. Once that was accomplished, it was simply natural for us to look at what else could be done.”
Was the reconsideration of a barrier prompted by the publicity raised by The Coast’s article?
“No,” says Snider.
As part of Aikins’ investigation, The Coast asked for a number of documents related to suicides from the bridge, including statistics, discussions of barriers and related topics. The bridge commission declined to turn those documents over, saying that increased publicity of suicides leads to signature bridges like the Macdonald becoming suicide destinations and actually increasing the number of suicides. The Coast counters that by raising the issue we are increasing public awareness of suicide as a concern that needs addressing with, for example, suicide barriers.
But now that the suicide barriers are going up, the potential for future suicides is presumably reduced to zero, so the “suicide attractor” issue is resolved. Given that, will the bridge commission now release statistics on past suicides?
“No,” says Snider. “I won’t talk about suicides.”
The Coast has appealed to the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy review office for intervention in our request for documents, and that appeal is now under consideration. We expect a ruling soon.
Related Stories
Adam’s fall
Province delays watershed suicide report
The ongoing fight for suicide prevention on Halifax’s MacKay Bridge
This article appears in May 7-13, 2009.
It’s not really a bridge either, it’s a suspended roadway supported by sky-hooks on grounded base towers, …….at least according to the Suspended Roadway Supported by Sky-hooks on Grounded Base Towers Commission.
Not that I am against the ‘suicide barriers’ but I do agree that the Coast shouldn’t label them as such. If a person is committed to suicide they will find another way to do it. It’s not like someone is going to go “Oh the barriers are there, guess I can’t end my life today.” It will eliminate the attraction to committing suicide at that location, but not overall.
“If a person is committed to suicide they will find another way to do it.”
This sounds so sensible, but it’s not the case: read Matt’s article to see why. “Means reduction” works.
I do appreciate the information being brought to my attention, and yes this “means reduction” works, but there is still going to be people after the barriers are in place who go through the “suicide phase” that Dr. Leenaars describes and its still going to happen. Perhaps The Coast should rally for more mental health programs within the HRM to further prevent suicides. If Adam had been followed more closely, even escorted home then it could have been prevented and it baffles me that he wasn’t if he was notified to the bridge security about being a suicide risk. The police get very little training when it comes to dealing with persons who have mental health issues. More awareness of mental health issues needs to be made not only for the prevention of suicides but also to reduce public discrimination against other disorders as well.
“Perhaps The Coast should rally for more mental health programs within the HRM to further prevent suicides”.
Bingo. Maybe the Bridge Commission could throw their million dollars into that pot instead.
Now only creative, original people will be able to kill themselves.
People are still going to shoot each other too. Doesn’t mean we should get rid of all the gun control laws. I’m just saying it can’t hurt. The bridge is just too easy.
Are they blocking off the inside of the walkway too? Because there’s tons of people sized holes next to the deck. And seriously, the barriers aren’t going to stop anyone who really wants to pitch themselves off. You can still get over it.
Although these barriers will not save the life of everyone who thinks of suicide, it will save some. If that someone was your mother, father, sister, brother, friend or child would it be worth 1 million dollars? Can you put a price on those peoples lives?
I do agree however that education and programs to help these people is something we need to look at too. Personally I thank Carol and Brian (Adam’s parents) and all of Adam’s family and friends for bringing this issue to light. Whether you agree with the barriers or not, at least this issue is being brought forward and people are talking about it. It just might shed some light on the darkest corner and time of someones life.
Calling these suicide barriers is appalling and not from a ‘lets call it something pleasant to avoid the talk of death’ kinda way……
How about ‘Safety barriers’………it is inclusive and provides extra safety for all…..I know folks who are not suicidal who wont walk the bridge because they are scared they will blow off…… I am sure they will feel better knowing there are extra guardrails now…… I love walking the bridge and I am not suicidal but at times the wind does scare me and I think often that extra rails and security would eliminate my anxiety on those days
Too little to late for someone I know.
I like the term safety barriers too.
Also I think the Bridge Commission aka Snider should release stats.
I have heard that 4 people have jumped in the last 2 weeks. Some were women.
People would be astonished about the number of people that jump off both bridges.
Mental health, depression, suicide should be talked about, not hidden. People need not feel ashamed.
Saftey rails are great. I myself and scared to walk accross that too! But I have a son who wants to walk it and well I am it to take him. I am pleased to know I and he can’t fall off accidently!