Taxpayer cost questions surround push for suicide prevention measures on
I-74 Bridge
[June 29, 2026]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – Suicide prevention advocates are renewing calls
for safety measures on the Interstate 74 Bridge, arguing that barriers,
crisis hotline signage and emergency call boxes could help save lives
and reduce suicide attempts.
Jon Zumkehr, president of American Federation of Government Employees
Local 4070, said the effort aims to start a broader conversation about
incorporating suicide prevention features into bridge design and
infrastructure projects.
"We want those conversations to be started," Zumkehr said. "Whether it's
a sign, whether it's a call box, whether it's netting, we want
evidence-based prevention measures."
The push follows outreach efforts by the Gray Matters Collective, a Quad
Cities-based suicide prevention organization. Zumkehr said the group
recently brought suicide prevention advocate Kevin Hines to the region
to share his story. Hines survived a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge
and later advocated for the installation of safety netting on the
California landmark.
The final cost of the Golden Gate Bridge suicide deterrent net was about
$224 million, according to the Golden Gate Bridge District. The project
was funded through a combination of federal and state grants, bridge
toll revenue, mental health funds, and private donations.
According to Zumkehr, opponents of adding prevention measures often
argue that the improvements would be a waste of taxpayer money or that
suicides cannot be prevented through physical infrastructure changes.
"Some people say you can't save every life," Zumkehr said. "We simply
disagree on that because there is evidence that these measures work."
Zumkehr said he did not have a total number of suicides on the I-74
Bridge. Public agencies also do not publish a year-by-year breakdown for
the structure, and no official trend line exists.
Available reporting shows at least one publicly documented suicide on
the bridge in recent years, along with additional reported incidents and
attempts, but no verified cumulative totals are released by state or
local authorities.
Zumkehr said the Quad Cities region experiences a suicide rate higher
than the national average and noted that the I-74 Bridge has become a
highly visible location for suicide incidents.
[to top of second column]
|
Paramedics work inside an ambulance, preparing medical equipment and
supplies. Photo: Grace David / The Center Square
"Every life lost is a person, it's a family, it's a father, it's a
mother," he said.
Zumkehr referenced the recent death of a correctional officer who
died by suicide after jumping from the bridge and said another
report involving an attempted bridge jump surfaced in the region
within the past week.
While no cost estimates have been provided for potential
improvements to the I-74 Bridge, Zumkehr said integrating suicide
prevention features into future bridge projects, including
discussions surrounding a new Interstate 80 bridge, could reduce
costs compared to retrofitting existing structures.
Gray Matters Collective founder and Executive Director Haley DeGreve
said obtaining official statistics on suicides and suicide attempts
connected to the I-74 Bridge has been difficult because of privacy
concerns and inconsistent reporting among agencies.
However, she said first responders, community members and mental
health advocates have reported a noticeable increase in
bridge-related suicide attempts and deaths in recent years,
prompting renewed calls for prevention measures.
DeGreve said her organization is urging Illinois and Iowa
transportation officials to begin with visible 988 crisis hotline
signage and other intervention tools while exploring longer-term
options such as physical barriers or safety netting, which she
described as among the most effective evidence-based suicide
prevention measures.
"We're not demanding one solution," Zumkehr said. "We want
politicians, community groups and stakeholders to bring this issue
front and center and have a conversation about what works."
Zumkehr encouraged public officials to consider measures including
physical barriers, emergency phones connected to the 988 Suicide and
Crisis Lifeline and highly visible crisis intervention signage.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
