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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCarl AlexanderEGEilVE Port Angeles City Council 321 E. 5d Street Port Angeles, WA 9E362 OF POR ANGE LES ITY L RK Sincerely yours, How much is a life worth in Port Angeles? We ask this question because another young person has just taken her life by jumping off one of the 86 Street bridges this week. This makes the 3d person to commit suicide this year by jumping off these particular bridges, along with 3 other disturbed people since they were constructed in 2009. We urge you all to use your official authority to do something to remedy this unfortunate situation ASAP, and see that proper suicide prevention measures are put in place on both ofthe 8h Street bridges. Concems about suicides were raised publicly before these bridges were ever buill but nothing was done to install any sort ofsuicide prevention barriers, either during or after construction, because ofthe cost inyolved. That was obviously a mistake, in our opinion, because people are going to continue to take their lives by jumping offthese high bridges until barriers ofone sort or another are put in place to prevent it. The PDN states that the costs of barriers are estimated to be $900,000 to retro-fit the bridges. That would be money well-spen! if you ask us - with or without any State funding or assistance. With an annual overall city budget approaching $120 million dollars, surely that amount of funding can be raised in order to prevent more loss oflife. We would also point out that studies have repeatedly found that people who are successfully prevented from committing suicide, and given time to reflect about what they are doing, rarely try again. Unfortunately, death by jumping offa high bridge is usually fatal, and not something that can be taken back. ,'?--n- D-M*A**" Carl & Alice Alexander 204 W. 4fr Streer, Apt. 14 Port Angeles, WA 98362 (360) 460-3970 cdalex@olypen.com N()\I I A 2017 D tt/14117 Dear Council Members.