The Big Lift Project will mean some major changes for much of the Macdonald Bridge, including the safety barriers which are in place to discourage jumpers.
Carol Rolfe-Higney has been outspoken about the importance of safety barriers on the bridge for the last nine years.
She lost her son, Adam, by suicide on the Macdonald Bridge in 2007. He was 19.
At that time, there were no barriers along the bridge.
“It’s extremely important that … with any type of infrastructure, a bridge of that height, that would be part of the design is to erect safety barriers,” Rolfe-Higney said.
Nine-foot safety barriers were added to an existing handrail along the Macdonald Bridge in 2009. The Macdonald is the only one of the two bridges that span Halifax harbour that allows for pedestrian and bike traffic.
“With the Big Lift and with everything being new on the suspended spans, we had the opportunity to design something that we thought was more appropriate.”
The new safety barriers being added are pointed at the top and tilted as opposed to the old barriers which were curved at the top.
“I went over the bridge the other day and I was like ‘I’m not an expert in this, but I’m not sure this is going to stop people or not,'” said Rolfe-Higney.
“I did email with, not concerns, but questions about whether there would be barriers even put on that bridge … and what I was told is that these are going to be better and state-of-the art.”
MacDonald says crews spent years working on the new design for the safety barriers and wants to assure people that the new barriers will be just as effective as the old ones.
“We were able to design something from scratch and so we decided on going with this concept that’s already being used on an existing bridge in British Columbia,” said MacDonald.
READ MORE: Macdonald Bridge redecking on schedule for completion by fall 2017
Rolfe-Higney is hoping the idea of safety barriers will continue to spread across Canada, especially in New Brunswick, where she’s working to help get barriers placed on the Reversing Falls Bridge.
As for the Macdonald Bridge, Rolfe-Higney says she’s putting her trust in the experts.
“If you look at what’s there now, or previous to this and what they’re putting up now, I guess it is probably a better design, I’m hoping. I’m hoping. Like I said, I’m not an engineer and I haven’t studied this. I’m just grateful it’s being done,” she said.
A walk for awareness will happen Sunday in Halifax to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
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