A psychiatric nurse has started an online petition asking the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to add fencing to a bridge that has been used by people who jumped to their deaths.
Central City nurse Katrina Custer tells The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat she plans to deliver the petition to PennDOT, Gov. Tom Wolf, and lawmakers who represent the area where the McNally Bridge crosses the Stonycreek River. The river is the border of Cambria and Somerset counties.
PennDOT says it's already studied adding fencing, and said it would cost $400,000 to $500,000 to install. PennDOT says maintenance would be expensive because snow removal would likely damage the fencing and require 5 percent to 10 percent of it to be replaced every year.
Over 5,000 people have signed the petition.
SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
