Bill > S3579

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Department of Transportation (department), the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to erect suicide prevention barriers, as defined in this bill, on certain bridges or overpasses that are determined to pose a significant suicide threat. Within one year of the enactment of this bill, the department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each required to conduct and complete a study to identify any bridge or overpass carrying a State road or highway that is under its jurisdiction, is not a local or county bridge or overpass, and that poses a significant suicide threat. To determine whether a bridge or overpass poses a significant suicide threat, the department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each to consider the height of the bridge or overpass; the location of the bridge or overpass; potential transportation hazards; and information on the occurrence of suicide at the bridge or overpass. The department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each to consider for any bridge or overpass included in the study, the feasibility of adding a suicide prevention barrier to each, including an assessment of the structural impact of constructing a suicide prevention barrier on each. The department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are to determine the type of suicide prevention barrier for each bridge or overpass under their respective jurisdiction. In the event that erecting a suicide prevention barrier is infeasible on a bridge or overpass, the bill requires the erection of secondary suicide prevention methods, including, but not limited to: surveillance systems, emergency phones connected to crisis hotlines, increased patrols, and informational signs to direct individuals to support services.

Committee Categories

Jon Bramnick (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee (on 09/19/2024)

Official Document