University of Minnesota working to make Washington Avenue bridge safer
The Washington Avenue bridge connects Gophers from both sides of the University of Minnesota. One Twin Cities woman says her daughter also used that bridge to take her own life and is begging for a permanent fixture.
"Kayla was 29 at the time, and she took a drive from Shakopee to the bridge that connects the east and west bank at the University of Minnesota," MJ Weiss Blair, the mother of Kayla Gaebel, said. "She was bright, educated, loving. Ahe was a mom of two kids."
Weiss Blair has since developed her own nonprofit advocating for suicide awareness.
Every day, Weiss Blair is begging for a permanent fixture at the site.
"I've gotten reassurance with the legislative groups that we've been in contact with," she said. "I just hear this voice inside of me saying 'Mom, we need to do this so nobody else can do the same thing.'"
Her story is just one of several involving this bridge — the site of several suicides since it was built. It's a deep concern to many, including University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham, so a temporary additional layer of protection was added last fall.
The temporary fencing stretches across the Mississippi River and is protecting nearly 7,000 bicyclists and 20,000 pedestrians who utilize it every single day.
"The University of Minnesota prioritizes the health of our students, faculty, staff and visitors," a spokesperson for the University of Minnesota said in a statement. "We continue to work with our partners at Hennepin County on funding and approvals needed to implement a long-term solution to enhance the safety of the Washington Avenue Bridge. In collaboration with bridge engineers and suicide prevention advocates, the University is currently designing a new railing, lighting upgrades and security enhancements for the bridge."
One state senator, who says the temporary barriers have already saved lives, is confident the university will see the money by mid-May.
"There seems to be a lot of agreement and motivation, and you know, I don't think there's a lot of debate over which source; it's just figuring it out by the end of the day," Sen. Scott Dibble said.
Local organization SAVE — Suicide Awareness Voices of Education — says it is committed to "continuing to advocate for barriers on this structure and on every dangerous public structure across the state."
Mental Health Resources
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
