The Coronado Bridge is one of San Diego’s most emblematic tourist attractions. However, the bridge has also been the setting for a darker purpose. There have been more than 350 suicides since it was built in 1959, and the numbers have spiked significantly in the last four years.

“It is truly unfortunate, particularly at a place as emblematic as the Coronado Bridge where so many tourists come to take pictures. Just imagine having a picture or video capturing how a person attempts to take his or her own life. In addition to giving the city a bad image, it is terrible that the causes of suicide are affecting locals. We have to do something to help so many people,” shared Rhonda Haiston, spokesperson for the Coronado San Diego Bridge Collaborative for Suicide Prevention.

San Diego authorities are working together towards a solution to this problem. One such project could be the installation of a steel safety net, similar to what is being done on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, where they have also seen a large number of suicides.

“We have to do something similar to the [Golden Gate], because the numbers have been increasing. Just since 2011, there have been 78 suicides from the [Coronado Bridge], in the last four years, suicides have increased by nearly 50 percent. Something we were able to detect in the study we did is the dates when these dates occur. The lowest number is in April, and November is the highest,” added Haiston.

For now, the Collaborative for Suicide Prevention is working on having a feasibility study done, which would cost about $25,000. They are seeking funding through an online page.

“We have to do the feasibility study first. The study will cost between $15,000 and $25,000. So we made a GoFundMe page. I am confident that we will get the funding but we are asking everyone who reads about this to help us. It is easy, just go to www.gofundme.com, and there you will find the Coronado-San Diego Bridge Collaborative for Suicide Prevention project,” said Haiston.

If the suicide net project moves forward, it could be finalized as early as summer 2017.

City Councilmember Todd Gloria expressed that he will do everything possible to help reduce these tragic numbers.

“We will do everything we can to keep this tragic situation from continuing, so we will do something similar to what our friends in San Francisco did.”

The Coronado Bridge Collaborative spokesperson stressed that there are no gender, age, or race trends among the recorded incidents, and shared the following phone number: (619) 537-9870, where people suffering from depression can get help, all with the aim of not one more life being lost.