Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Suicide Phones for Hudson Bridges, But Not For NYC
By
Dave Hogarty
Published May 20, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Dave Hogarty
Published May 20, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Two bridges spanning the Hudson River just north of the city will be getting suicide prevention phones instead of physical barriers following three fatal leaps in close succession earlier this year. The phones to be installed on the Tappan Zee and Bear Mountain Bridges will be connected to a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline. Plans for installing physical barriers were turned down as being too expensive to install and maintain.
The plan to install the phones is being undertaken by the New York State Bridge Authority. NYC's bridges are controlled by a number of different agencies. The Port Authority of NY & NJ oversees the George Washington Bridge. the MTA is in charge of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. And the NYC Dept. of Transportation takes care of the city's East River Bridges.
They're generally not reported in the media, but NYC bridges experience a regular number of people threatening to commit suicide on them. There was one individual on the Queensborough Bridge this weekend, but it appears he was successfully talked down. New York Press once interviewed a former Emergency Services Unit officer whose job was to try to rescue bridge jumpers. He claimed the NYPD has about a 99% success rate.
(leaving the island, by m11ka at flickr)*
Tagged
bear mountain
east river
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Unit
george washington
George Washington Bridge
hudson river
media
MTA
Narrows Bridge
new york
New York Press
new york state
News: NYC
nj
nyc
nypd
people
photos
port authority
Queensborough Bridge
suicide
the city
transportation
washington
Dave Hogarty
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .