Design Commission to Weigh In On Suicide Barriers On The Colorado Street Bridge

As the Public Works Department moves closer to a final plan for City Council approval, Pasadena’s Design Commission on Tueday will be asked to provide input on three preferred options for suicide-prevention measures on the iconic Colorado Street Bridge.

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. and can be accessed via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87002945582. People may also call (669) 900-6833 and use the webinar ID 870 0294 5582. 

In November 2019, the commission started reviewing four vertical barrier design concepts which received the most public support during a public outreach process. These were eventually narrowed down to three, which both the Design Commission and the Historical Preservation Commission said should be shown to the public via design mock-ups on the bridge. 

These full-size mock-ups demonstrating the three configurations have been fabricated and installed on the bridge and are now available for public viewing and reference. 

The city encourages the public to observe social distancing and traffic safety when viewing the actual mock-ups on the bridge. 

At the same time, the designs can be seen on a survey webpage which the City set up to gather public input before deciding on the final option. The page is at www.surveymonkey.com/r/CGJL5J8 and will be available up to the end of the survey period on May 31. 

Among the three options, the Historical Preservation Commission prefers Option B, which involves installing a curved mesh barrier, due to its effectiveness and preservation of the bridge, a report by the Public Works Department said. 

Comments by the members of the Design Commission Tuesday, as well as input from the public survey, will help the Public Works Department come up with a final recommendation for consideration by the Public Safety Committee and the full City Council. 

Based on the project’s timeline, the final recommendation will be submitted after the end of the public survey on May 31. 

Anyone wishing to view the three proposed concepts of the project and take part in the survey can visit the project webpage, www.cityofpasadena.net/public-works/engineering-and-construction/construction/colorado-street-bridge.

Public comments can be sent in advance by email to mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net or through the public comment webpage, www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/public-comment/.