NEWBURGH – State Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) says he is “extremely disappointed” that the New York State Bridge Authority took no action to approve suicide preventing fencing at its Thursday meeting ands he is calling on the agency to take up the issue at its next monthly session.
“September is National Suicide Prevention Month, but it’s not enough to wear purpose or have purple lights on bridges to express support for suicide prevention one month out of the year,” he said. “We must take concrete steps every day to reduce suicides, including installing climb-deterrent fencing on all the bridges managed by the authority.”
The lawmaker said there is “no excuse for the NYSBA not to act. It has already completed engineering studies concerning the fencing. All studies have shown that this type of fencing is effective in deterring suicide attempts.”
