Summary:

This document is a structural feasibility analysis prepared for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) by HDR to study the possibility of adding a suicide deterrent system to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.

The analysis examines two main alternatives: an 8-foot tall pedestrian railing and a horizontal net system, and finds that the additional weight of either system would not significantly impact the bridge's load carrying capacity (which would remain HS17). The study estimates the railing cost at approximately $1.7 million and the net system at $4.5 million, noting differences in constructability, maintenance, inspection access, view impact, and historical preservation review for each option.

Rio-Grande-Gorge-Structural-Feasibility-Analysis_2015.pdf

Copy of Rio Grande Gorge Structural Feasibility Analysis Suicide Deterrent System.pdf