A barrier preventing suicides from the iconic San Diego-Coronado Bridge is possible, Caltrans officials said Wednesday citing results from a yearlong study.
Officials looked at regulations, environmental impact and cost among other factors in determining whether a barrier could be added to the bridge.
To date, more than 400 people have died by suicide along the bridge connecting downtown San Diego and Coronado.
About 90,000 cars travel on the bridge each day and when there's a suicide attempt, it's closed for hours.
The next step will be to narrow the options for designing and constructing a permanent barrier.
The agency will also examine how to fund the project before launching any changes to the structure.
In the meantime, bird spikes will be placed along the length of the bridge.
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Bird spikes made of stainless steel or plastic can help keep birds from stopping on ledges or roosting on roof peaks.
Caltrans officials said the spikes could be used as a temporary barrier for someone looking to climb over the bridge and provide some delay so emergency personnel could arrive and intervene.
For more information, and/or to read the full study, go to the Caltrans website.
