Pasadena installed full-size mockups of the suicide mitigation fences it’s considering for the Colorado Street Bridge, and now the city is asking residents for feedback in a survey on the city’s website.
There are three options available: Samples A and B are both curved around lightposts, but Sample A is otherwise straight. Meanwhile, Sample B is curved along the top for the length of the fence. Both of these use different types of a “mesh” material, which could be ultimately installed on either design.
Sample C, on the other hand, is just a straight picket fence. No mesh, no curves.
These samples were more than three years in the making; the city started to look for an effective suicide deterrent in 2017 after years of tragedy involving the Colorado Street Bridge.
It’s had a temporary fence up for a couple years now. That’ll be replaced by whichever sample is picked by the community and the City Council.
According to a city news release, there will be a virtual open house on Thursday, March 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., for residents to get questions answered and make their suggestions heard. It’ll be hosted by the Pasadena Department of Public Works and Donald MacDonald Architects, which came up with these designs.
“Following the open house, the Department of Public Works will meet with the City’s Historic Preservation Commission, the Design Commission and the Public Safety Committee to share public feedback, and seek advisement and recommendations on a single barrier design to take to the City Council for approval,” the release says “Presentation to the Historic Preservation Commission is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, April 20.”
More information can be found on the project’s website.