Caltrans District 11 San Diego Coronado Bridge Suicide Deterrent Summit

Using value metrics to tackle suicide prevention on the Coronado Bridge

Overview

The Coronado Bridge Suicide Prevention Deterrent Summit brought together diverse stakeholders and functional experts to advance solutions to implement a physical barrier that could prove successful in deterring suicides on the San Diego – Coronado Bridge Increasing the group’s shared understanding of the project’s complexity and eliciting feedback on how each of the then-proposed 9 alternatives would perform required non-traditional methods, particularly because of the strong emotional charge associated with the summit topic.

VMS developed a 1-day program that approached the topic with sensitivity and allowed all voices to be heard and considered. The summit began with VMS and Caltrans providing context for the participants with a presentation by a suicide prevention specialist to increase awareness. Goals and constraints related to maintenance, environmental, and structures disciplines were also discussed, along with the nine alternatives. Using a radical empathy exercise, participants engaged in robust discussion of their experience on the bridge, how they would need to interact with the deterrent, and what their wants and needs would be relative to the design. With this increased understanding of the project’s complexity, participants prioritized performance criteria and then rated each of the nine alternatives to identify a selection to carry forward into the next project phase.

Highlights
  • OBJECTIVELarge and Small Group Workshop Facilitation, Decision Analysis
  • TEAM42 diverse stakeholders including public safety workers; Caltrans maintenance, traffic, design & construction team members; suicide prevention advocates; environmental groups; public and elected officials; US Navy; Port of San Diego; San Diego Association of Governments

The Objective

  • To build consensus and identify the highest rated design alternatives to carry forward
42
diverse stakeholders
9
physical barrier alternatives

The Solution

  • The VA Summit led to the facilitation of multiple advisory committee meetings that were offered live and online

…You and your team expertly facilitated the Summit in a manner in which participants were relaxed, open minded, and willing to share their thoughts, insights, and opinions. In just under 6 weeks from the time that we approached you with the concept, you were able to develop and implement a plan to compress Value Analysis Study content into a one-day format. You and your team were able to strategize and execute the Summit without losing the quality or impact of a longer Value Analysis Study.

I really appreciated how smoothly your team operated. Everyone was so easy to work with and available. You all supported our Caltrans team with the technology, guidance, great communication, and encouragement that we needed throughout the process…

Wendy Dandeneau, PE, Caltrans

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