Caltrans Gives Public Glimpse of Cold Spring Suicide Barrier
North County Residents to Get Peek at Similar Meeting Tonight in Solvang
The argument in support of the proposed Cold Spring Bridge suicide barrier continued yesterday evening in the Santa Barbara Public Library. Caltrans held an official public hearing, at which visitors were able to walk around the room and see digital mock-ups of the options Caltrans is looking into for the bridge. Also available were copies of the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), on which both supporters and opponents of the barrier were encouraged to comment. Guests were asked to write down their comments, to be included in the Final EIR. After all comments are submitted, a Final Environmental Draft will be written and sent to Caltrans’ District Director Rich Krumholz in San Luis Obispo.
Jim Shivers, Caltrans’ Public Information Officer, said that above all, safety is the organization’s foremost concern. “We see this as something that will save lives,” he said, noting that because the state owns Cold Spring Bridge, protecting people on it is Caltrans’s responsibility.
Caltrans will hold a similar meeting today at 5:30 p.m. in the Solvang Veterans Memorial Building at 1745 Mission Drive.
