It will be several years before the net is built. The bridge is one of the most popular suicide sites, the most-used suicide spot in the United States, second in the world. Over the last 77 years that the bridge has been open, 1,600 people are estimated to have killed themselves by jumping off of it. Last year 46 suicides were reported. However, a study published in 1978 by Richard Seiden, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that more than 90% of would-be jumpers who were stopped were still alive decades later.“ The tragedy of today is that we can’t go back in time, we can’t save … the people who jumped off the bridge. But the good thing, with this vote today, we can vote in their memory,” board member Janet Reilly said to the media. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Friday: “A suicide prevention barrier offers a critical second chance for troubled men and women acting on often impulsive suicidal thoughts. Together, we can ensure this magnificent landmark stands as a faithful companion for all San Franciscans, awing and inspiring visitors for generations to come.“
