Danish consulting engineer Cowi has been picked as lead designer within the undertaking so as to add a suicide deterrent construction on the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.
It’s the second most used construction for suicides within the US after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Cowi will work in three way partnership with TY Lin on the $140m undertaking, which is scheduled for completion in September 2028.
The California Division of Transportation (Caltrans) is the shopper. It stated there have been 18 fatalities in 2017, 17 in 2018, and 15 in 2019.
Caltrans put four-inch spikes alongside the bridge rail in 2019, however suicide makes an attempt proceed.
The bridge closes when there’s an try, necessitating an as much as 60-minute detour for site visitors.
The best way to stick out with out protruding?
Cowi’s problem is to create an efficient deterrent that cantilevers out from the present concrete barrier whereas preserving the character of the historic construction, which opened in 1969.
The brand new construction should deter jumps with out impeding under-bridge inspections, which usually includes hanging entry platforms out and below the bridge deck from the highest.
Cowi should additionally take wind masses and acoustics into consideration.
The corporate stated the design would characteristic a chrome steel web configuration engineered to discourage climbing and to forestall objects falling by way of.
“Delivering a strong, visually delicate, and aerodynamically secure barrier on an current, closely trafficked construction is a technically complicated job,” stated Jack Gerwick, Cowi North America’s senior market director.
The undertaking might be Caltrans’ first use of a “Progressive Design-Construct” contract, which permits for early contractor and designer collaboration to hurry the method up.
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