Cold Spring Bridge Site of 55th Suicide

A 34-year-old Santa Barbara man—Jefferey Scott Zubiate—jumped off the Cold Spring Canyon Bridge on 2/19, marking the 55th suicide from the bridge since it was built in 1964. Meanwhile, a small but vocal group continues to push against what they call a “troubled proposal” to build suicide barriers along the historic structure. A Santa Barbara judge last fall ordered that an environmental report on the barriers be recirculated so the public would have adequate time to review and comment on the project. The ruling halted construction of the barrier. Last week, three county residents asked the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) to attempt to recover $1.5 million in unspent barrier construction money and put it back toward the widening of Highway 101. The money was diverted a couple of years ago by the same SBCAG board. The matter was referred to the SBCAG executive committee for review.