Safety Fencing Being Added to Hoan Bridge
Bridge has been the site of dozens of suicides.
Fencing being installed on the Hoan Bridge. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge will soon look different, both for motorists and those looking up at it.
A chainlink fence is being installed on each side of the bridge, part of Interstate 794.
It’s a new safety feature ostensibly designed to “address concerns resulting from debris (such as snow, ice, tires and auto parts, and trash) falling from the bridge down below and to limit access to the railing.”
It is that second point, access to the railing, that is quietly a big driver of the project. The bridge has been the site of numerous suicides.
A Milwaukee County Medical Examiner report noted 30 suicides between 2000 and 2016.
A petition drive by New Berlin high school student Youssef Barsoum, who lost someone close to him on the bridge, helped spur the project.
On the east side of the bridge, the new fence will run from a point equal with E. Buffalo Street and continue to a southern terminus roughly in line with E. Washington Street. It will be almost one mile in length.
On the west side of the bridge, the slightly shorter fence will run south from a point south of E. Menomonee Street to E. Washington Street. The western fence is two blocks shorter.
Neither fence will interfere with lighting on the bridge, which is installed on the west side and planned on the east side. Blue signs were quietly added to the yellow bridge structure alongside the lights that offer a phone number for an emergency crisis line.
A $3.1 million contract was awarded by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to Century Fence Company earlier this year to complete the project.
According to a project document, WisDOT settled on a six-foot-tall fence because it is the maximum height supported by the “snooper” truck used to inspect the bridge. The truck has a long arm that can bend at several points to lift an inspector in a bucket up over the fence and then safely lower them under the bridge deck to effectively end up underneath the truck itself.
There was previously netting installed within the Milwaukee City Hall eight-floor atrium following a 1930s wave of suicides. It was removed early in John Norquist‘s mayoral tenure without incident
Photos
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I noticed the poles erected on the bridge today & assumed DOT would be installing something. I never fathomed it would be a chain link fence. What an eyesore this will be. Another example of politicians spending our money to keep themselves elected. Would have been nice if the media covered this before it was approved, providing an opportunity for more input from taxpayers.
what a bummer
hate the idea of a view through chain links…..
It’s unfortunate that the design is chain link, but there is a significant need for some protective measure. A view is nice, but suicide prevention is more important. Moments to think make differences, and people generally don’t know how common suicide is because it is nearly always not reported in the media, and is pretty darn common to be attempted at this site. Suicide is the #1 cause of death in many demographics. Perhaps rethinking the importance of a view is in order…
While I understand the motive of suicide prevention, unfortunately these acts will just move down past Washington St. or to some other bridge. It’s not really prevention.
If the DOT had the money for this, I would have rather they spent it towards a bike lane which was something people really wanted until Scott Walker put the kibosh on it. Or fund lighting the lake side of the bridge (another bad Scott Walker elimination).
Here’s a link to what has been done with the Golden Gate Bridge: a netting below. So much money has been spent to beautify the Hoan Bridge, and the views are such a joy. It would be great if Hoan Bridge funding and fundraising could include plans for netting instead of hideous chain link. https://www.goldengate.org/district/district-projects/suicide-deterrent-net/
I applaud this move, having considered this exact spot several times to jump from.
Colin, I hope you are getting help with those thoughts: https://www.preventsuicidemke.com/get-help-now.html