Tappan Zee Bridge Now Equipped with Anti-Suicide Phones

[Matt Molnar]

Authorities Put Anti-Suicide Phones On Tappan Zee
Aug 29, 2007 10:28 am US/Eastern

(CBS/AP) TARRYTOWN, N.Y. Suicide prevention telephones have been activated on the approaches to one of the country's largest bridges in hopes that people intent on jumping to their deaths can be dissuaded by one last human voice.

More than 25 people have made fatal jumps from the Tappan Zee Bridge into the Hudson River in the past 10 years, the state Thruway Authority said.

The four phones -- two each on the Rockland and Westchester county sides -- provide direct links to the Lifeline suicide prevention hot line, which would connect callers to counselors at LifeNet or Covenant House, the authority said Tuesday. State troopers stationed in Tarrytown would be sent to the phones. More...

[cancidas]

is it even possible to walk accross that bridge?

[PhilDernerJr]

I think cars go on that bridge, and people tend to fit into cars, so I think people can make it.

[USAF Pilot 07]

They've got them on the Golden Gate... Although I suppose jumping off the Golden Gate is much more dramatic than the Tappan Zee...

[Matt Molnar]

The problem with the Tappan Zee is that it's the only way to cross the river for quite a few miles in either direction, so when someone does threaten to jump, it backs up traffic forever, causing those stuck in it to actually root the jumper on.

[emshighway]

Did they put them on the center median? :shock:

[hiss srq]

Speaking of that bridge, how long did they close that bridge for after that truck exploded?