Amid pressure, University of Minnesota erects fencing on bridge to reduce suicide attempts

The University of Minnesota has installed temporary fencing on a bridge to reduce the risk of suicide attempts.

The installation comes about a year after Kayla Gaebel died by suicide on the Washington Avenue Bridge. Gaebel’s mother, MJ Weiss, sparked efforts to install barriers on the structure, drawing in suicide prevention advocates.

The two-level bridge connects the East and West Banks of the University of Minnesota campus. Each day, approximately 20,000 pedestrians and 7,000 bicyclists cross the bridge’s upper level, where the fencing has been erected, according to a statement from University Vice President Alice Roberts-Davis.

The fencing blocks off one side of the bridge to prevent traffic. The other side remains accessible to bikes and scooters, with fencing extending the entire length of the bridge. An enclosed portion of the bridge remains open to pedestrians. The new fencing, which is estimated to cost $75,000, should not disrupt the flow of traffic, according to the statement.

The effort to make the bridge safer continues, but the temporary fencing will save lives, say suicide prevention advocates who had grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of action over the years.

Erich Mische, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), said he’s thankful that the university has addressed the issue.

“This is an enormously powerful first step,” Mische said. “I give President [Rebecca] Cunningham a lot of credit for taking the leadership needed to make this happen.”

The bridge is owned by Hennepin County but generally overseen by the U — an arrangement that has complicated efforts to make structural changes to the bridge.

Mische added that more needs to be done to solve the problem, and he expressed a commitment to working with the U. He wants to see improved signage on the bridge, adding that any permanent changes will ultimately depend on Hennepin County.

“We are going to urge them to take the kind of leadership the university has exhibited here, and to do it with a greater sense of urgency,” Mische said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor.

Grace Henrie is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Minnesota Star Tribune.