GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

SUBMITTED BY:

ABHAY SINGH (09609172)

ADITYA SINGH (09609041)

ANUJ KAPOOR (09609155)

SACHIN MALVIYA (09609023)

VISHAL SINGH (09609067)

INTRODUCTION

The Golden Gate Bridge-the unmistakable symbol of a city and a region is known as the most spectacular bridge in the world. One of man's most powerful creations, the bridge is located in one of nature's most beautiful settings, spanning the mile-wide bay from Fort Point in San Francisco to the Marin County shore.

Opened in 1937, the bridge has remained undamaged. It has been able to withstand ferocious winds, mammoth loads, temperatures that expand and contract every piece of steel in it and enormous earthquakes as the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused no damage.

The construction of this bridge is a frontier in history which changed the lives of millions living in San Francisco and the thinking of civil engineers and architects throughout the world. The way architects think and contractors work was revolutionized and the bridge continues to make designers think differently. All involved with the enormous construction of this single project crossed multiple frontiers that others before had never even considered crossing.

CONCEPT OF BRIDGE

In the late 1800s and the early 1900s residents of San Francisco saw the ferry system as the only way to get from one side of the strait to the other. Many problems arose from the ferry system in the early 1910s due to a growing population and society's need to cross the Golden Gate Strait-ferries could not keep up with the accelerating demand for transportation. As the necessity for a more efficient way to travel increased, building a bridge seemed to be the only answer.

So the idea of Joshua Abraham Norton of constructing a bridge across the mile-wide gap was initially written off as ludicrous but he saw the future in linking the growing city of San Francisco on the south and the wide open lands of Marin County to the north and the Redwood Empire.

In 1916, more than four decades after railroad entrepreneur Charles Crocker’s call for a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait in 1872, James H. Wilkins, a structural engineer and newspaper editor for the San Francisco Call Bulletin, captured the attention of San Francisco City Engineer Michael M. O’Shaughnessy. O’Shaughnessy began to consult a number of engineers across the Country about feasibility and cost of building a bridge across the strait. Most speculated that a bridge would cost over $100 million and that one could not be built. But it was Joseph Baermann Strauss that came forward and said such a bridge was not only feasible, but could be built for $25 to $30 million.

SPECIAL DISTRICT FORMED - GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND HIGHWAY DISTRICT

The idea of forming a special district of the State of California to construct the bridge was proposed by O’Shaughnessy, Rainey, and Strauss. They believed a special district was necessary to oversee the financing, design and construction of the Bridge so that all counties affected would have a voice in the proceedings.

On January 13, 1923, an historic meeting was called by Franklin P. Doyle, a local Sonoma County banker and president of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce. Out of this meeting, the Bridging the Golden Gate Association was formed and devoted its efforts to the promotion of a span across the Strait.

The fate of the bridge idea was now in the hands of the War Department as only it could authorize construction as the owner of the land on either side of the Strait. Additionally, the War Department had jurisdiction over all harbor construction potentially affecting shipping traffic or military logistics.

In May 1924, San Francisco and Marin counties made a joint application to the War Department for a permit to build a bridge. The War Department held a hearing on May 16, 1924, to discuss two issues: would the bridge hinder navigation and was adequate financing available. Because of overwhelming testimony in favor of the bridge project, Secretary of War John W. Weeks issued a provisional permit on December 20, 1924.

On November 4, 1930, voters within the District’s six member counties went to the polls on the question of whether to put up their homes, their farms and their business properties as collateral for a $35 million bond issue to finance bridge construction. For some, the timing of the bond election was considered economically reckless as it would create bonded indebtedness during the Great Depression. Others said bridge construction represented the economic relief needed from the Great Depression. After the vote, it was clear the people believed in Strauss’ vision – 145,057 voted in favor and 46,954 against it.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE DESIGN

In 1921, Joseph B. Strauss hired Charles A. Ellis to head up his staff and soon advanced him to Vice President, Strauss Engineering Corporation, in charge of bridge design and construction supervision. In 1925, he had Ellis arrange for Prof. George F. Swain of Harvard University and designer of New York’s Manhattan Bridge Leon S. Moisseiff to serve on a Board of Consultants for the project.

On March 1, 1930, with final design underway and after overseeing test borings at the construction site, Ellis returned to Chicago to work on refining the design and estimates, while continuing to consult with Advisory Board of Engineers members Moisseiff and Ammann.

DURING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

The caretakers of the Golden Gate Bridge include the engineers and architects that had the vision to create such an incredible landmark, the rugged individuals who built this one-of-a kind masterpiece and the skilled crafts people and engineers that have taken care of it since opening day in 1937.

Joseph B. Strauss led the way as Chief Engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Strauss was assisted by a talented team that included:  Strauss Engineering (later to become Strauss and Paine, Inc.) Vice Presidents Charles A. Ellis and Clifford E. Paine; Consulting Engineers O.H. Ammann, Charles Derleth, Jr. and Leon S. Moisseiff; and, Consulting Architect Irving F. Morrow.  These

individuals, along with many dedicated workers and professionals, oversaw the creation of a structure which has become world-renowned.  The Golden Gate Bridge has earned the reputation as the world's most spectacular Bridge and is one of the most visited sites in the world.

The most famous of the original construction workers became known as the Half-Way-to-Hell Club when the safety net suspended beneath the floor of the Bridge saved the lives of nineteen men.  Until February 17, 1937, there had been only one fatality during the construction of the Bridge.  This was a new record in a field where the norm had been that one man was killed for every million dollars spent.  On that sad day in February, ten men lost their lives when a section of scaffold carrying twelve men fell through the safety net.

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - January 1933 to April 1937

  January1933

April1937

Marin AnchorageJanuary 1933 through February 1936

       

       

San Francisco AnchorageJanuary 1933 through February 1936

         

       

Marin PierJanuary 1933 through June 1933

           

       

San Francisco TrestleMarch 1933 through February 1934

         

       

San Francisco PierMarch 1934 through December 1934

         

       

San Francisco Trestle RepairNovember 1933 through March 1934

         

       

Marin TowerNovember 1933 through October 1934

         

       

San Francisco TowerJanuary 1935 through June 28, 1935

             

       

Catwalk CablesJuly 1935

             

       

Suspension CablesOctober 1935 through March 1936

         

       

Cable CompressionMay 1936

                 

       

Roadway SteelJune 1936 through November 1936

           

       

Deck SurfaceJanuary 1937 through April 1937

             

  January1933

April1937

SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL SAFETY MEASURES WHICH WERE TAKEN DURING THE PROJECT WERE:

Mining helmet was developed into an industrial hard. Sand-blast respirator helmet. Glare-free goggles. Special hand and face cream to protect against the wind. Special diets to help fight dizziness. Most important was the safety net, suspended under the floor of the Bridge from end to

end which saved the lives of 19 men.

THE STRAUSS TEAM

Collective efforts of the many engineers and other professionals led to the final design of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Strauss coordinated and managed the preliminary and final design, as well as the construction of the Bridge along with some professionals like:

Clifford E. Paine, Strauss Engineering Corporation Vice President, served as Principal Assistant Engineer during final design and construction.

Russell G. Cone was Resident Engineer during construction. Charles Clarahan, Jr. and Dwight N. Wetherell served as Assistant Engineers. O.H. Ammann, Prof. Charles Derleth, Jr., and Leon S. Moisseiff served on the Advisory

Board of Engineers. Sydney W. Taylor, Jr. was Consulting Traffic Engineer. Irving F. Morrow, Morrow and Morrow Architects, was Consulting Architect. Andrew C. Lawson and Allan E. Sedgwick were Consulting Geologists.

Ground Breaking Ceremony

The construction finally began on January 5, 1933 which was followed by a ceremony on February 26, 1933 with great delight and was attended by at least 100,000 people.

GOLDEN GATE FIESTA WEEK

Once the bridge was constructed then in the first week (May 27 to June 2, 1937), a Golden Gate Fiesta was celebrated which included various competitions, fireworks, parades and entertainment. In the end Strauss arrived and shared his poem, “At last, the all mighty task is done.”

BRIDGE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STATISTICS

Length, Width, Height, Weight: Total length of Bridge including approaches from abutment to abutment: 1.7 miles = 8,981 ft = 2,737 mWidth of Bridge: 90 ft = 27 m

Clearance above mean higher high water: 220 ft = 67 m

Total weight of Bridge, anchorages, and approaches (1986): 887,000 tons = 804,700,00 kg

Main Tower Stats: The Golden Gate Bridge has two main towers that support the two main cables.Height of tower above water: 746 ft = 227 m

Height of tower above roadway: 500 ft = 152 m

Weight of both main towers: 44,000 tons = 40,200,000 kg

Main Cable Stats: The Golden Gate Bridge has two main cables which pass over the tops of the two main towers and are secured at either end in giant anchorages.

The main cables rest on top of the 746-foot main towers in huge steel castings called saddles.

Diameter of one main cable including the exterior wrapping: 36 3/8 in. = .92 m

Length of one main cable: 7,650 ft = 2,332 m

Total length of galvanized steel wire used in both main cables: 80,000 mi = 129,000 km

Construction Timeline Golden Gate Bridge - January 1933 to April 1937Main Anchorage: January 1933 throughFebruary1936

San Francisco Anchorage: January 1933 through February 1936

Marin Pier: January 1933 through June 1933

San Francisco Trestle: March 1933 through February 1934

San Francisco Pier: March 1934 through December 1934

San Francisco Trestle Repair: November 1933 through March 1934

Marin Tower: November 1933 through October 1934

San Francisco Tower: January 1935 through June 28, 1935

Catwalk Cables: July1935

Suspension Cables: October 1935 through March 1936

Cable Compression: May 1936

Deck Surface: January 1937 through April 1937

BRIDGE STRUCTURES

Spanning 1.7 miles, the Golden Gate Bridge consists of six main structures:

1. San Francisco (south) approach viaduct

   

2. San Francisco (south) anchorage housing and pylons S1 and S2

   

3. Fort Point arch

   

4. Suspension bridge

   

5. Marin (north) approach viaduct

   

6. Marin (north) anchorage housing and pylons N1 and N2

BRIDGE LIGHTING

Consulting Architect, Irving F. Morrow, wrote Report on Color and Lighting to Chief Engineer, Joseph B. Strauss, on April 6, 1935.  In his report, he indicated that the two most important factors in lighting the Golden Gate Bridge are:  1) the enormous size of the project; and, 2) the tremendous scale and dignity of the project.  Morrow carefully weighed these considerations as he designed his lighting scheme, one which would even further accent the uniqueness of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The tower lighting, as originally envisioned by Morrow, was not installed during the construction of the Bridge due to budgetary constraints.  However, in 1987, shortly after the 50th Anniversary, the Bridge towers came to life with light on June 22, 1987.   Just as Morrow had envisioned, the new lighting made the towers seem to disappear into the evening darkness, further accenting their great height.  The tower lighting was installed at a cost of nearly $1.2 million, funded in part, through a generous grant from Pacific Gas & Electric Company.  The lighting was installed by Abbett Electric Company, who under-bid the original construction estimates by nearly $1 million.

Roadway Lights: 

128 from abutment to abutment.  These are high pressure sodium (HPS), 227 volt and 250 watt each. These lights were installed in 1972, 35 years after the completion of the Bridge. The original roadway lights were low pressure sodium, 90 watts each.

Tower Sidewalk Lights:24 total for the sidewalks around both towers.  These are low pressure sodium, 35 watts each.

Tower Decorative Lighting:12 above the roadway for each tower.  These are HPS, 400 watts each. There are also 12 below the roadway for each tower; four are 150 watts, four are 250 watts, and four are 400 watts. All are HPS.

Tower Lights:Each tower has an airway beacon at the very top of the tower. Each beacon has two 750 watt lamps.

Pier Navigation Lights:South pier has one 1000 watt beacon facing north, and four 116 watt lights on the fender, one on each side.North pier has three 116 watt lights on three sides facing the water.

Main Cable Lights:There are eight 116 watt lights on each cable.

Midspan:Eight lights mark the center of the Bridge below the deck at midspan; four on each side in a vertical column.  The top three lights are white, the bottom light green.

PAINTING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

The Golden Gate Bridge has always been painted orange vermilion, deemed "International Orange."  Rejecting carbon black and steel gray, Morrow selected the color because it blends well with the span's natural setting.  If the U.S. Navy had its way, the Bridge might have been painted black with yellow stripes to assure greater visibility for passing ships.

Painting the Bridge is an ongoing task and the primary maintenance job.  The Bridge paint protects it from the high salt content in the air, which rusts and corrodes the steel components.  Many misconceptions exist about how often the Bridge is painted.  Some say once every seven years, others say from end to end each year.  Actually, the Bridge was painted when it was originally built with a red lead primer and a lead-based topcoat.  For the next 27 years, only touch up was required.  By 1968, advancing corrosion sparked a program to remove the original paint and replace it with an inorganic zinc silicate primer

and vinyl topcoats.  The topcoat was changed to acrylic emulsion in 1990 to meet air quality requirements.  The original program was completed in 1995 with continuous touch up on areas with the most severe erosion.

ART DECO DESIGN THEME

The original plans submitted by Chief Engineer, Joseph B. Strauss, called for a hybrid cantilever and suspension structure across the Golden Gate. This plan was generally regarded as unsightly, and a far cry from the elegant, understated lines that define the Bridge today. After Strauss submitted his first design, Consulting Engineer, Leon S. Moisseiff, theorized that a long span suspension bridge could cross the Gate. A suspension structure of this length had never been tried before.

Even after Moisseiff and Strauss began to refine the new design, it wasn't until Consulting Architect Irving F. Morrow joined the project that the art deco styling began to take shape. Morrow simplified the pedestrian railings to modest, uniform posts placed far enough apart to allow motorists an unobstructed view. The light posts took on a lean, angled form. Wide, vertical ribbing was added on the horizontal tower bracing to accent the sun's light on the structure. The rectangular tower portals themselves decrease on ascent, further emphasizing the tower height. These architectural enhancements define the Golden Gate Bridge's art deco form. It is this form which is known and admired the world over. 

FOG HORNS

Fog and the Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge has an influence in directing fog as it pushes up and pours down around the Bridge. "Advection fog" forms when humid air from the Pacific Ocean swoops over the chilly California current flowing parallel to the coast. The fog hugs the ground and then the warm, moist air condenses as it moves across the bay or land. This is common near any coastline. Sometimes, high pressure squashes it close to the ground. By the way, the color of the Bridge is International Orange and was chosen in part because of its visibility in the fog.

The Golden Gate Bridge foghorns have guided hundreds of thousands of vessels safely through the Golden Gate Strait, and forewarned San Franciscans when fog was rolling in to envelop the City. The foghorns operate, on average over a year, about two and a half hours a day. During March, you'll hear them for less than half an hour a day. However, during the Bay Area's foggy season, which typically occurs during the summer months, they can sound for over five hours a day or for days at a time. When the fog rolls in under the Bridge roadway limiting visibility for passing ships, the foghorns are manually turned on (and off) by Bridge workers.

Fog Horns at Mid-Span

At mid-span on the Golden Gate Bridge, there are three foghorns mounted below the roadway level. At mid-span on the Golden Gate Bridge, there are three foghorns mounted below the roadway level. One is on the east side of the Bridge, facing east and is 24-1/2 inches long and the horn bell is 11-inches in diameter. Two are on the west side of the Bridge that face west and are each 36-inch long with a horn bell that is 18-inches in diameter. The three horns at mid-span sound as two blasts.

The sequence of the two blasts is: 9 second pause starts the sequence, followed by a 1 second foghorn blast, then 2 seconds foghorns are off, then 1 second foghorns blast, then 36 seconds foghorns are off, then 1 second foghorns blasts, then 2 seconds horns are off, then 1 second horns blasts, then 36 seconds horns are off. This pattern continues as long as the foghorns are turned on. The mid-span horns have a two-toned sound and have a higher sound than the south tower pier foghorns. The higher of the two tones blasts to the east and the lower of the two tones blasts to the west.

Foghorns at the South Tower Pier

There are two foghorns mounted on the south tower pier, about 20 feet above the waterline. One is on the east side and faces east, and one is on the west side and faces west. Each horn is 48-inches long with a horn bell that is 23-1/2 inches in diameter.

The two foghorns sound at the same time as a single blast, in this sequence: 2 seconds horns blast, 18 seconds horns are off, 2 seconds horns blast, 18 seconds horns are off. This pattern continues as long as the horns are turned on. The foghorns on the south tower pier are one-tone and have a lower sound than the mid-span horns.

NAVIGATIONAL BEACONS

The Bridge is also equipped with navigational and warning lights for travelers by sea and by air.  Originally, a red rotating aircraft beacon shown on the top of each tower.  In 1980, they were replaced with 360 degree flashing red beacons.  The Bridge main cables are also marked with red cable outline lights.  In 1982, they were replaced with new and more efficient lights.  For seafaring vessels, there are red navigation lights on the south pier fender and white and green lights below the deck at mid-span.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE FACTS - SIZE

The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest span in the world from its completion in 1937 until the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was built in New York in 1964. Today, it still has the ninth-longest suspension span in the world. A few Golden Gate Bridge facts to illustrate its size:

Total length: Including approaches, 1.7 miles (8,981 feet or 2,737 m) Middle span: 4,200 feet (1,966 m).

Width: 90 feet (27 m) Clearance above the high water (average): 220 feet (67 m) Total weight when built: 894,500 tons (811,500,000 kg) Total weight today: 887,000 tons (804,700,000 kg). Weight reduced because of

new decking material Towers:

o 746 feet (227 m) above the watero 500 feet (152 m) above the roadwayo Each leg is 33 x 54 feet (10 x 16 m)o Towers weigh 44,000 tons each (40,200,000 kg).o There are about 600,000 rivets in each tower.

MAJOR BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS, 1953 TO PRESENT

Since its completion in 1937, a number of rehabilitation and improvement projects have been undertaken to preserve, protect and extend the life of this world-famous structure. The most significant of these improvements are noted below.

Major current projects underway at the Golden Gate Bridge are listed in the Current Projects page.

1953 -1954On December 1, 1951, a great windstorm threatened the integrity of the Bridge. A lower lateral bracing system was added to the span to significantly increase the torsional stability of the stiffening truss of the roadway at a cost of $3.5 million.

1967-1969Consulting Engineers from Amman & Whitney, NY, NY conducted a major inspection of the Bridge.

1973-1976During the 1967-1969 Bridge inspection conducted by Amman & Whitney, advancing corrosion was discovered at the suspension rope connection point at the roadway. The District worked with Amman& Whitney to develop plans and specifications to replace the suspender ropes. All 250 pairs of vertical suspender ropes, which are spaced 50 feet apart across both sides of the Bridge, were replaced at a cost of $9 million in District funds.

1980-1982Following the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) issued new retrofit design standards for existing structures. Both the San Francisco and Marin approaches to the Bridge were retrofitted to increase earthquake resistance. The project was completed in 1982 with 80 percent of the $2.8 million cost borne by the federal government.

1980-1989Over the nine-year period, all 11 toll collection booths were renovated to more safely

accommodate the flow of traffic at a cost of  $1.7 million in District funds.

1982-1986Over the years, salt and moisture from fog and the ocean have penetrated and deteriorated the Bridge's roadway deck. In response, the greatest engineering project since the building of the Bridge occurred when the original concrete deck and its supporting steel stringers were replaced with a lighter, stronger orthotropic deck. The District worked with Ammann & Whitney to develop this new deck design. Approximately 80 percent of the total cost of $68.1 million was borne by the Federal Highway Administration as a result of Congressional legislation recognizing the importance of this project in the protection of interstate commerce. The District paid the balance.

Over 401 nights the original concrete, consisting of 747 sections, roadway deck was replaced with a lighter, stronger, orthotropic steel deck. The roadway was widened also by two feet resulting in outside curb lane widths of 11 feet, up from 10 feet. The four inside lanes remained at 10 feet wide. Daytime peak traffic was not affected. The final phase was completed in the summer of 1986 when two inches of epoxy asphalt were laid over the surface of the steel deck roadway.

1986-1987The lighting design developed by consulting architect Irving F. Morrow during the original design was included in original construction. The decorative tower lighting cost $1.2 million, with funding provided in part through a donation from Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Abbett Electric Company installed the lighting at cost.

1993-1994By 1992, after 55 years of constant weather exposure, approximately 6,557 lineal feet of west side pedestrian railing had deteriorated. The District replaced the railing with an exact replica, preserving the historical and architectural character of the Bridge, at a cost of $1.3 million.

1996-1997In August 1996, pavement and drainage rehabilitation of 1,600 feet of roadway in the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza area commenced. To maintain the smooth flow of traffic during peak periods, work was performed at night. In early 1997, the project was completed. 

1997-2008Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Design and Construction Project were completed. Phase 1 retrofitted the Marin approach structures from 1997 to 2002. From 2002 to 2008, Phase 2 retrofitted the San Francisco approach structures and Fort Point arch.

2001 to 2003A 4-foot, 6-inch high railing was added between the Bridge roadway and each of the two sidewalks.

2008In April 2008, Phase 3A of the Seismic Design and Construction Project began. The north anchorage housing and pylons will be retrofit during this phase.

2010Phase 3B of the Seismic Design and Construction Project is anticipated to begin and will retrofit the main span and towers.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE – PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

There were studies that said that the bridge would not work, because ships had to go through the bay and if they built the bridge the ships wouldn't be able to get through.

Another problem happened Strauss wanted to build a railroad across the bridge. Strauss talked to other workers and some said that it wouldn't happen and others said that it would cost about one-hundred million dollars to build. Then in the 1930's a good thing happened for the bridge. People started to buy bonds and financially support the bridge. So they decided to go ahead with construction.

Tall towers - The towers of a suspension bridge are usually built near the shore. One tower of the Golden Gate Bridge had to be built in the ocean. To build a base for the tower, the bridge builders needed to work underwater - 30 meters below the ocean surface. They made a huge box that reached from the surface down to the ocean floor. Then they pumped the sea water out so that they could make the concrete base for the tower.

Build it strong - The Golden Gate Bridge is built in a dangerous place. San Francisco is near a fault line, so there is always the danger of earthquakes. In 1906, an earthquake caused huge damage to the city. Because of this, the bridge engineers used over a million tonnes of concrete to build the anchors that hold the cables in place. Strong winds that blow in from the Pacific Ocean can make the bridge sway from side to side. Even if they reach 160 kilometers per hour, the bridge will still stand tall. Engineers built the bridge so that it could swing sideways up to 8 meters.

Gigantic cables - Another challenge was making cables strong enough to hold up the heavy deck. It weighs over 150 000 tonnes. Engineers needed cables that were over 90 centimeters thick to hold that weight. They had to make the big cables from smaller wires. It took 130 000 kilometers of wire to do the job. There wasn't a crane big enough to lift these heavy cables, so they couldn't be made at a factory and taken to the bridge. They had to be made by machines that were right next to the bridge and then pulled across the two towers.

SUICIDES AT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

The Golden Gate Bridge, situated at the point where San Francisco Bay meets the Pacific Ocean, is a leading tourist attraction. The most photographed structure in the United States, it is an engineering marvel, a thing of beauty and a joy to behold. Yet, lurking beneath these accolades is the sinister realization that it is currently the world’s leading site for self-destruction.

On May 28, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was first opened. Less than three months later, on August 8, 1937, the first known suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge occurred. As of April 1, 1978, a period of some 40 years, the official number of suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge was 625. The true number of persons who have leaped to their deaths from this bridge is even higher since darkness, rain, fog, and a swift ocean bound current may have concealed from us more than 200 additional suicides. To remedy this morbid situation there has been considerable pressure to construct a hardware suicide prevention barrier by extending the present 3½-foot railings to a height of eight feet. Although there is strong support from many segments of the Bay Area community, the Golden Gate Bridge Board of Directors has consistently dragged its feet on this issue ever since the barrier concept was first proposed over 30 years ago.

Many reasons have been given for the delaying tactics but a major argument against constructing a barrier has been that it just wouldn’t work. Why wouldn’t it work? Because “common sense” tells us that if a person is bent upon suicide lie will find a way and inexorably go someplace else to kill himself. So goes the untested argument.