maybe instead they could use the money for a 24 hour sentry on the bridge who could steer potential victims to retraining programs for jobs in careers that would not only help stimulate the economy--but would make them feel personally fulfilled, thereby eliminating their suicidal tendencies.

how about a users fee?

Give everyone that decides to jump off the bridge because they lost  their jobs a job to build the wall on the bridge from the stimulus money... Freaking Genius!!!

how about a users fee?

 

and Government vouchers for the less fortunate.

Okay, good for one free jump!

May I ask how stopping suicide is a bad thing?

It's not.

 

But I don't think this will stop suicide; maybe stop it from happening there.

I think the main issue here, which the article fails to mention, is that there is a neighborhood in the valley below the bridge.  I have heard stories of jumpers landing in backyards and on rooftops.  One lady in a Scene magazine article said it happened once when her kids were playing in the backyard and someone landed nearby.

^ That's terrible, and if true, this project seems a whole lot more worthwhile.

It's true, however the neighborhood is sparse, and low income...probably why it has been discussed but was never a priority.  However, the new Northside lofts and Chrissie's veggie restaurant are nearby, and so is the Cuyahoga Valley railway station.  Maybe the towpath trail is nearby too??

 

Anyway, it has potential to be a hot neighborhood just north of Downtown with those ammentities...but not if people are raining from the sky.

 

They should just tear the stupid bridge down and return the valley to the city grid as it was before.  I believe the bridge is from the 1970's era along with the interbelt freeway.  That plan is why Luigi's restaurant sits on that weird little piece of disconnected Main St.

Certainly calls for a fence of some sort.

Found a couple of interesting pics near the area around Main and Howard which is presently near the interbelt freeway terminus and the Y bridge urban renewal area

 

http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/history/photos_more.htm

 

 

 

 

My thoughts are anti-fence for the Y-bridge..  Maybe because I like the song Y-bridge too much by Akron punk band CD Truth.  Have a listen at their myspace.com/cdtruth  its a bit low-fi than I recall but I think it should be on their newest cd.  Very clever sardonic lyrics. "Make your mark on Elizabeth Park"

 

What would be sweet if that song would play anytime anyone came to this thread..

I think the main issue here, which the article fails to mention, is that there is a neighborhood in the valley below the bridge. I have heard stories of jumpers landing in backyards and on rooftops. One lady in a Scene magazine article said it happened once when her kids were playing in the backyard and someone landed nearby.

 

Horrible, but isn't it also if people find the dead bodies in other places?  Because these people will still commit suicide.  And some poor person will still find the sad remains.

I honestly don't think this about stopping suicide...it's about city liability, and development of this land.  The mayor is not stupid, I think he sees it as a great place to create a hot new neighborhood...it's a large underutilized parcel isolated in a valley away from crappy areas, with Downtown/Akron U to the south and St Thomas Hospital and the stable neighborhood of North Hill to the North.  Summa Health Systems may be pushing for it too since the HQ and their Hospital is right nearby and the joke is that the jumpers escape from their mental ward.

 

Far fetched plan?... The Merriman Valley developed as an isolated enclave of young professionals in the 80's inside the city limits of Akron and remains one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city.  There is already a gay club(interbelt), a hot new veggie restaurant(Vegieterranean), and one of the oldest and most popular restaurants right on the fringe(Luigi's).  In a dream world there could even be commuter rail to Downtown Cleveland someday since the CVSR is already there.

 

"There has already been one suicide off the bridge this year, and there have been 28 since 1997, according to the Summit County medical examiner’s office. The police are called to the bridge to try to save would-be jumpers roughly once a week."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/us/06akron.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

 

Thats 2.5 people a year dropping into a residential neighborhood.  If the DOT can build ugly sound walls for millions of dollars along every highway because noise is a nuisance, this should certainly qualify as a nuisance to the residents.  AND, doesn't every freakin interstate overpass in Ohio already have a fence because someone threw a brick and killed someone once??  Every once in a while you hear of someone jumping at a place like Water Tower Mall in Chicago.  If it somehow became a hot spot for suicide, and 2.5 people a year were doing it, the mall would do something about it.  Again I say, use the money to just take the bridge down, along with the useless freeway.

 

You'd probably want a fence if you lived here:

 

Officials in Akron, Ohio, plan to use federal money to build a fence on the All-America Bridge to deter jumpers. Neighbors below say bodies have damaged roofs.

 

 

 

 

From personal experience, you cannot stop someone from wanting to kill themself, you might stall it, but until that person wants help, nothing you do will help.

The bridge itself is a link from Main Street downtown to Main Street, North Hill. It's not a freeway.

 

Thats 2.5 people a year dropping into a residential neighborhood.  If the DOT can build ugly sound walls for millions of dollars along every highway because noise is a nuisance, this should certainly qualify as a nuisance to the residents.

Thank you.

 

From personal experience, you cannot stop someone from wanting to kill themself, you might stall it, but until that person wants help, nothing you do will help.

From personal experience, this is not always true.

 

My only concern, is the price....does it cost that much to put a fence up?

From personal experience, you cannot stop someone from wanting to kill themself, you might stall it, but until that person wants help, nothing you do will help.

 

MTS, I'm sorry that you've personnally experienced something like this, but several studies have shown that suicide fences on bridges are actually quite effective and that people prevented from committing suicide typically don't try again.

 

See http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/07/10/suicide-barriers-are-effective/

 

I don't consider a method of preventing (or reducing) suicides, with a method that studies have shown to be effective, to be a waste of money. Especially since $7.5 million is already going toward rehabbing the bridge, why not build a fence? Is a fence really that big of a waste of money?

 

Maybe I'm just living up to my nickname, but I don't think joking about suicide is in good taste.

From personal experience, you cannot stop someone from wanting to kill themself, you might stall it, but until that person wants help, nothing you do will help.

 

MTS, I'm sorry that you've personally experienced something like this, but several studies have shown that suicide fences on bridges are actually quite effective and that people prevented from committing suicide typically don't try again.

 

See http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/07/10/suicide-barriers-are-effective/

 

I don't consider a method of preventing (or reducing) suicides, with a method that studies have shown to be effective, to be a waste of money. Especially since $7.5 million is already going toward rehabbing the bridge, why not build a fence? Is a fence really that big of a waste of money?

 

Maybe I'm just living up to my nickname, but I don't think joking about suicide is in good taste.

 

No need to be sorry.  Those were personal issues from long ago, that I need to work out.  But I wasn't a jumper, it's too messy and I didn't want to mess up a good outfit.  I wanted to take sleeping pills and drown in the Shaker Lakes.

 

My experience is that, until the person who wants to committ suicide, get help, they will find another way to kill themself.

 

My thought (my previous response) is that the bridge gates might stop a person from jumping at that particular bridge, but they may find another way to attempt suicide.

My thought (my previous response) is that the bridge gates might stop a person from jumping at that particular bridge, but they may find another way to attempt suicide.

 

They might just do something else, and sure some do. But research has showed in several cities that put up fences on their bridges that suicide rates go down after prominent bridges known for being used for suicides have fences put up, the suicide rate goes down. I think that makes this idea worth using stimulus money on.

My thought (my previous response) is that the bridge gates might stop a person from jumping at that particular bridge, but they may find another way to attempt suicide.

 

They might just do something else, and sure some do. But research has showed in several cities that put up fences on their bridges that suicide rates go down after prominent bridges known for being used for suicides have fences put up, the suicide rate goes down. I think that makes this idea worth using stimulus money on.

 

Anything that can at least get a person to one therapy session.  Stoping the "attempt" (prevention) is one thing, getting to the root of the issues (depression, shock, etc.) is equally important.

My thought (my previous response) is that the bridge gates might stop a person from jumping at that particular bridge, but they may find another way to attempt suicide.

 

They might just do something else, and sure some do. But research has showed in several cities that put up fences on their bridges that suicide rates go down after prominent bridges known for being used for suicides have fences put up, the suicide rate goes down. I think that makes this idea worth using stimulus money on.

 

Anything that can at least get a person to one therapy session. Stoping the "attempt" (prevention) is one thing, getting to the root of the issues (depression, shock, etc.) is equally important.

 

That, I'll agree with.

I remember crossing that bridge as a little kid and thinking how big and grand it was, it also seemed so new and clean. I made a diagram of the bridge out of tooth pics back in, oh had to be 2nd or 3rd grade (92-94). Makes me wonder if my parents saved it and it's around somewhere in my momentos.

 

I guess I find it ironic because I never heard about this bridge being called this, and my father has had several attempts at suicide since I made that bridge out of tooth pics (98-02). BTW he is doing fine now and a success story of depression.

These issues are occuring more and more and there's indication that suicidality is on the rise in both adolescents and adults. This is a little off topic, but given the interest I thought I'd share about  a 2006 documentary called "The Bridge" that tells the stories of a handful of individuals who committed suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004. It's the site of arguably the most suicide attempts in the country. The movie was shot with multiple cameras pointed at a notorious suicide spot on the bridge during 2004. It captured 23 people as they took their final plunge, and then offers interviews with grieving families.

 

 

I remember crossing that bridge as a little kid and thinking how big and grand it was, it also seemed so new and clean. I made a diagram of the bridge out of tooth pics back in, oh had to be 2nd or 3rd grade (92-94). Makes me wonder if my parents saved it and it's around somewhere in my momentos.

 

I guess I find it ironic because I never heard about this bridge being called this, and my father has had several attempts at suicide since I made that bridge out of tooth pics (98-02). BTW he is doing fine now and a success story of depression.

 

Glad to hear all is well.

These issues are occuring more and more and there's indication that suicidality is on the rise in both adolescents and adults. This is a little off topic, but given the interest I thought I'd share about  a 2006 documentary called "The Bridge" that tells the stories of a handful of individuals who committed suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004. It's the site of arguably the most suicide attempts in the country. The movie was shot with multiple cameras pointed at a notorious suicide spot on the bridge during 2004. It captured 23 people as they took their final plunge, and then offers interviews with grieving families.

 

 

 

Wow, I know that there were a lot of attempts, but to interview the families, wow.  I'm wondering if they are using the video as a deterrent?

 

 

I just read an interesting article about a kid who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived:

 

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1197707,00.html

 

I remember every second of it. When my hands left that rail — and my legs curled over — as soon as I left the bridge, I thought, "I don't want to die." It's a four-second fall, and in those four seconds I said, "God, please save me." I had no idea that you could jump off the Golden Gate Bridge and live. That was foreign to me. You see these websites, they say, "If you want to kill yourself, go to the Golden Gate Bridge." I'm trying to shut them down now.

 

If there was a barrier that day, I had no money to get back on the bus, no bus pass, I had nothing on me. I would have had to go and tell someone, or I would have been caught by the California Highway Patrol trying to climb the thing. I would have been saved and put in a mental hospital, and then I'd be at home, dealing with my bipolar, hopefully doing it the right way. I still get the voices, the panic attacks, still feel suicidal at times. I've just got to fight it every day."

What if they put up deterrents AND posted an 800 number of a suicide hotline/helpline?  You know, a sign saying "We care" and then the phone number and name of the organization or something?  I think that would be good.  I agree, you can't stop it, but knowing this is a place frequented by the desperate and upset, maybe they go there and find a helping hand instead of a sad end.

What if they put up deterrents AND posted an 800 number of a suicide hotline/helpline?  You know, a sign saying "We care" and then the phone number and name of the organization or something?  I think that would be good.  I agree, you can't stop it, but knowing this is a place frequented by the desperate and upset, maybe they go there and find a helping hand instead of a sad end.

 

That is a good idea. 

Several years ago, I encountered somebody who was about to jump off of the Detroit-Superior Bridge as I was biking back to Ohio City from Downtown Cleveland.  There is a tall fence that lines both sides of the bridge, so the only way to jump off is to begin at one side of the bridge, climb on the "wrong" side of the fence, and gingerly walk towards the center of the span until you get to a place that is high enough over the valley to make a "successful" jump.  It takes time to get there, and in that time, I was able to see this fella making the long walk.

 

When I saw him, he had probably been walking for a couple of minutes, but wasn't at the peak yet.  I stopped, talked to him a bit, and a motorist saw the two of us talking, called the cops, then came over to the two of us.  We had enough time to stall him until the cops came (closing off the bridge, 'natch) and a few of us could convince him to walk back to the end of the bridge where he started from.  If there wasn't that tall fence, he could have strolled on the sidewalk to the center, and made a quick leap.

 

Granted, this is just one example, from which no real conclusions may be made, but it did help in that instance to have enough time for folks to notice and intervene.

Interchange gains federal approval

 

AVON - By Rebecca Turman

 

The new I-90 interchange to be built at Nagel Road in Avon moved one step closer to becoming a reality this month.

 

During the May 11 City Council regular meeting, Avon Planning Coordinator Jim Piazza announced that the interchange earned federal approval after more than six years of research and planning on the city's part...

 

Post edited 9-4-09 to comply with terms of use

 

Published May 20, 2009 in The PRESS, a newspaper of general circulation in Lorain County. (no link available)

www.2presspapers.com

In 2007 I started commuting from Strongsville to Downtown. The drive was unbearable to me. If I wanted to be down there at 9:15 for class I had to leave at 7:45. If I had to be at class at 9 I had to leave at 7-7:15. One semester I had finals at 8 and I had to leave my house at 6:30. Even then I still missed some classes, sometimes I would make it leaving an hour and a half early and other times it would take me 2 hours thanks to an accident, weather, etc. I got so fed up with it I moved downtown last semester (spring 09). I didn’t have to put up with this anymore!! But occasionally I'd have to go home for something and I would stay the night. So in the morning I would drive downtown. I left an hour and a half early because I knew what to expect. But this time I got there in a 30-45 min. This happened more than once. I talk to my friend who is interning downtown and he says it takes him no more than 40 min to get downtown. 7:20-8:00.

 

I want to know why traffic has been moving so fast. Loss of jobs? More people using RTA (busses and rapid)? Population decrease? People moving downtown?

 

 

I am very curious as to what is causing this. It used to take me anywhere from a 1:15 to 2 hours to make the trip.

Anyone have stats on RTA rider increase, downtown housing spike, loss of jobs?

 

Or just your thoughts on the subject.

 

it was probably a combination of everything you just named

I don't know but it seems like traffic has gotten a lot worse in Old Brooklyn / Brooklyn near Ridge Park Square and the entire area in general. A considerable increase since I left for college 4 years ago and came back.

 

Also how do u get to downtown from strongsville? 480 seems to get very busy in the morning from the strongsville area which I don't understand why they don't stay on 71. I was going golfing in strongsville last week and on the way there the incoming traffic to the downtown area seemed very heavy around 7 in the morning it was pretty much bumper to bumper so there might have been an accident somewhere.

 

Another thing is was there any construction or lane closures of any kind during 2007 on the commute from Strongsville?

From Strongsville I go 71 straight up. If the 71 looks REALLY bad ill take 71-480-76-90, but that was if 71 was AWEFULL.  No back in 07 it should have been easier to travel because there was no closing of lanes on the interbelt.

When we moved from the W side (Westlake) to the SW side (Middleburg Hts/Strongsville border) I was amazed at how much more time the commute took for about the same # of miles simply because 71 N traffic is so freaking bad every day.  backups, accidents regardless of weather, it is a nightmare.  I took the bus from the w side a lot but would drive when weather was nice because I enjoy driving and it was nice to have the radio on and the windows down and the sun on my face.  Also the bus was fairly quick and easy to get from the W side to downtown.  Because of the 71 traffic, I started hating whenever I had to drive in (doctor's appointment, which for me is at least once a month if not 3-4x a month) but taking the bus was not good either, because they also traverse 71 and were subject to the same traffic problems as the cars.  This is when I started driving 10 minutes out of my way every day to go to the brookpark rapid station and after that, my commute dramatically improved.  :-)

 

When I have to drive in, I haven't noticed the traffic being any lighter on 71.  JMO.

my commute on 90 has gotten worse.

I wonder if more people are leaving the S side and moving to the W side.

I think a lot of it has to do with the Innerbelt Bridge.  A lane has been cut down and I know someone who lives in Strongsville and works downtown.  They take 480 to Jennings to 490 to 77 to avoid the bridge.  I'm betting that the causes of traffic flowing smoother from Strongsville are due to a combination of the downtown population increase, some loss of jobs, an increased RTA ridership, many people avoiding the Innerbelt Bridge due to safety concerns and thinking traffic will be bad on it due to the loss of a lane, and the fact that I-71 has been widened to 3 lanes south of Pearl Rd. now.

I-90 exit on the FAST TRAC

Published: Friday, January 29, 2010

By RICHARD PAYERCHIN

[email protected]

 

AVON — The new Interstate 90 exit at Nagel Road in Avon is in the fast lane for development.

 

Ohio's Transportation Review Advisory Council voted yesterday to create a new FAST TRAC review process to speed review of key transportation projects around the state.

 

No. 1 on the list: the Nagel Road interchange, a $23.7 million project that will connect the road to I-90, a new five-lane Nagel Road bridge and upgrades at the intersection of Lear and Chester roads. The highway exit was one of five the TRAC picked yesterday for the FAST TRAC process.

 

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT:

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/01/29/news/mj2227388.txt

Good news!

Good news!

 

REALLY!  So hello to more urban sprawl!!

Good news!

 

So is cancer. That's growth too. And like sprawl, it sucks life from the rest of the body.

If access is the main concern for the Cleveland Clinic and surrounding businesses (ie. the Duck Tape place), I don't see why Chester Road (which runs north of and parallel to I-90) can't be upgraded and extended to Crocker Road.  Then you'd have an access road (Chester Road) that runs from I-90/Route 611 exit at the west, past the I-90/Route 83 exit, and ending near the I-90/Crocker Road exit at the east.  Another interchange at Lear-Nagel Road seems a bit redundant, in my opinion. 

Good news!

 

You're happy about the government spending $23.7 million?  I thought you were a fiscal conservative?

That is they beauty of being conservative.

 

If it benefits me fantastic spend whatever you need to ESPECIALLY if it is detrimental to society as a whole.....if it benefits anyone else, especially poor swarthy folk then that is socialism and will be condemned.

@tcjoe

In the past, the City of Westlake has rejected suggestions to connect Just Imagine Drive (Chester Road) to Clemens Road to provide a more direct connection from Avon’s industrial area to the interchange at Crocker Road. The Crocker Road interchange is already heavily congested. Adding additional traffic to the Crocker interchange on the north side, particularly eastbound traffic that would then have to make a left-turn on to I-90 (under the proposed improvement scenario), would further degrade the service to Westlake. Westlake has reportedly also considered closing Avon Road at their border on the south side of I-90.

 

http://www.cityofavon.com/citydocuments/I90handout.pdf

 

Since the time of that publication, Westlake has closed off Avon Road on the south side of I-90 at the county line, and has approved the Tri-C campus at the county line on the north side of I-90, effectively cutting off these potential connections/marginal roads between the two cities.

Avon Road will likely be reopened/reconstructed when the new exit is built.

 

Spending on infrastructure is important.  Avon is as much a part of this metro area as Cudell.  If you are going to just hate on anything 20+ miles away from a large urban downtown area, than that is fine, but it's a minority viewpoint and will be summarily dismissed by most.

It's good to know you have the finger on the political pulse of Greater Cleveland...  :roll:

 

Even if you are correct, doing the unpopular thing may be the healthier option. Just like eating sweets and junk food may be tempting, it's also not healthy to physically expand a metropolitan area that's not growing in population. In fact, it is the cause of urban cancers known more commonly as blight. And running from it only makes it worse.

 

So by all means, let's do more interchanges farther and farther out to broaden the metro area, and continue to expand the blighted areas left in their wake. After all, it's the popular thing to do....

 

It's good to know you have the finger on the political pulse of Greater Cleveland...   :roll:

 

Even if you are correct, doing the unpopular thing may be the healthier option. Just like eating sweets and junk food may be tempting, it's also not healthy to physically expand a metropolitan area that's not growing in population. In fact, it is the cause of urban cancers known more commonly as blight. And running from it only makes it worse.

 

So by all means, let's do more interchanges farther and farther out to broaden the metro area, and continue to expand the blighted areas left in their wake. After all, it's the popular thing to do....

 

And let's spend public money to do so!

@tcjoe

In the past, the City of Westlake has rejected suggestions to connect Just Imagine Drive (Chester Road) to Clemens Road to provide a more direct connection from Avon’s industrial area to the interchange at Crocker Road. The Crocker Road interchange is already heavily congested. Adding additional traffic to the Crocker interchange on the north side, particularly eastbound traffic that would then have to make a left-turn on to I-90 (under the proposed improvement scenario), would further degrade the service to Westlake. Westlake has reportedly also considered closing Avon Road at their border on the south side of I-90.

 

http://www.cityofavon.com/citydocuments/I90handout.pdf

 

Since the time of that publication, Westlake has closed off Avon Road on the south side of I-90 at the county line, and has approved the Tri-C campus at the county line on the north side of I-90, effectively cutting off these potential connections/marginal roads between the two cities.

 

I remember reading about the whole Avon Road closing debacle in the Morning Journal, I believe.  I understand Westlake's concerns for congestion, but maybe connecting Chester/Just Image/Clemens Roads between the two cities will ease traffic flow at the Crocker exit....or maybe it won't. LOL

 

Thanks for the info, buckeye1! :)

 

PS.  I was unaware of the new Tri-C campus being built out there.....that is indeed a road block (literally).