The George Washington Bridge has an annual traffic number of 53,417,768 people, making it the busiest bridge in the world. This number includes people driving in their cars, riding their bikes or crossing the pedestrian walkways.
Of the more than 53 million people who come across the George Washington Bridge, some will only step onto the bridge once, and there, they may also take their last steps.
Although nobody knows why people choose the George Washington Bridge, it is one of the most frequently used bridges for suicide in the United States.
While many people have committed suicide at the bridge in the past, one University student’s story shook people right here in the tri-state area and all across the world.
The death of Tyler Clementi in September not only brought attention to the University but also to the George Washington Bridge, from which he jumped to his death.
The George Washington Bridge became a part of global news on Sept. 22, after Clementi jumped over the bridge’s railing. A number of questions surrounded the student’s death, but the main question, like all others, remains unanswered — why did he choose the George Washington Bridge?
“Some people choose the [George Washington Bridge] for a reason, some just do it because it’s convenient to them,” said Michael Rockland, author of “The George Washington Bridge: Poetry in Steel.” “But in Tyler’s case, I could maybe see that there was a reason behind choosing the [bridge].”
Rockland, a professor of American studies at the University, wrote the book about the bridge’s history and his experience with both the bridge and the people who protect it.
He explained that Clementi’s hometown of Ridgewood’s proximity to the bridge might have played a role in his decision to choose it as the site of his suicide.
“People who live in Bergen County can’t help but look at the George because it’s right there in front of them,” Rockland said. “It may not have been the main reason why he chose the [bridge], but he may have had a special relationship to the bridge being so close to it.”
The George Washington Bridge stands 604 feet above the Hudson River, and its 90-foot roadway makes it the only 14-lane suspension bridge in the world. The bridge is just 15 miles from Ridgewood, meaning it had been in Clementi’s sight since the day he was born.
Statistics show that the George Washington Bridge averages anywhere between 10 to 13 suicides a year, which is significantly less than the 26 per year that occur at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif.
Rockland said this is due to the constant surveillance of the New York Police Department and the Port Authority.
“Ever since 9/11, the security has been tight on the bridge, and there are plenty of signs that say ‘No Loitering’ to keep pedestrians from stopping,” he said. “Policemen would actually drive up to me and ask me what I was doing while I stopped on the bridge to do research for my book.”
According to Rockland’s book, the Port Authority spends half a billion dollars more per year on security for its bi-state facilities such as the George Washington Bridge than it did before the 9/11 attacks. This includes an increase in patrol officers and cameras, but not all officers can get to the potential jumpers in time.
Despite efforts, the number of suicides remains high, and the Port Authority has looked elsewhere to prevent suicides from occurring. The Clementi case in particular caused the state to consider putting up obstructions to keep people from jumping, but Rockland believes it will not happen.
“The police say that, although this may sound bad, that it’s better if people jump off a bridge than a building because there’s less chance of injuring another human being in the process,” Rockland said. “Plus, if the [bridge] gets the netting to keep them from jumping, it’s only going to stop suicide on the bridge, not in general.”
The bridge’s extraordinary height is particularly “attractive” for those who wish to commit suicide, he said. There have been a number of stories where, although the initial jump did not end an individual’s life, the injuries sustained from the jump or the amount of water going through the body would eventually kill the jumper.
“There was once a story where a friend bet another friend $500 that he could jump off the bridge and survive,” Rockland said. “He won the bet, but then lost his life in the hospital three days later.”
The investigation of Clementi’s death continues through December and already there are signs of change, he said. The Port Authority has done its best to keep the police reports and other comments to themselves, but the continued coverage will give the George Washington Bridge some negative press.
“I think the [bridge] keeps their suicide rates down because the authorities don’t allow the stories to get out there like the Golden Gate does,” Rockland said. “But after this tragedy, I think it’s going to be harder for them to prevent ‘copycat’ jumpers from ending their lives.”
For those contemplating suicide, please contact the suicide/crisis hotline at 800-273-8255.