Was the Aurora Bridge suicide fence money well spent?

– Dori writes…

Last year, the state finished work on the Aurora Bridge suicde fence – a project that cost taxpayers $4-million.

I never understood spending this money. If someone was determined to kill themself by jumping, it seems to me they would just find another bridge.

Now I have to ask if anyone else has noticed what seems to be a rash of people jumping from other bridges and overpasses around here?

Last August, a man in his 60’s jumped off the Pike St overpass on I-5.

In October, a man in his 30’s killed himself by jumping off the Pike St overpass onto I-5.

In February a man died after jumping from the Pike overpass onto I-5.

In April, a 17 year old girl plunged off the 145th St overpass on I-5.

In May, a man jumped off the Lakeview overpass on I-5

And Saturday evening this weekend, a man jumped to his death from the I-5 Ship Canal bridge – landing in the neighborhood below.

The sad reality may be that the $4-mil spent on the Aurora Bridge was a poorly-thought-out waste of money that just moved people from that bridge to one of the hundreds-of-others around here.

So often, government throws money at problems and then is never held accountable for its lack of success. Common sense suggests that the Aurora Bridge project has turned out to be yet another example of that.

Perhaps that $4-million would have been better spent on mental health services for those who are in the most desperate of situations. And the beat goes on for a local government that is out of control.

National suicide-prevention hotline: 800-SUICIDE. Local Crisis Clinic: (206) 461-3222