With the installation of safety barriers along the French King Bridge now complete, those with a connection to the structure’s tragic history hope to be more at peace.

“I have a lot of pride and gratitude for all of the people who advocated for them,” said Erving Town Planner Mariah Kurtz, expressing her relief over the barriers’ installation. “It was a really long time coming.”

Following years of advocacy from town officials, legislators and suicide prevention advocates, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced in February 2021 that the project to install 9-foot-tall barriers at the French King Bridge, which has garnered a reputation as a destination for suicides, was finally moving ahead. The safety barrier installation was completed “faster than expected,” according to Gill Selectboard Chair Randy Crochier.

The preliminary construction process began in May 2022. The construction bid came in at nearly $5.53 million, with 80% of funding coming from the Federal Highway Administration and 20% coming from MassDOT.

Work continued through the fall before being put on hold for the winter, with hopes to have work complete by the end of 2023. The north-side barrier was fully installed by April, while the final portions of the south-side barrier were installed toward the middle of last week, according to Kurtz.

With the barriers now finished, the only work that remains pertains to surrounding portions of the French King Bridge, including the sidewalk and curb. Kurtz said she expects this work to be complete in September.

Oxford resident Stacey Hamel, a primary advocate for the project whose stepson, Bryan Hamel, was suspected to have jumped from the French King Bridge in 2018, said the development marks “the end of the chapter.”

“I guess the overarching feeling is that ‘joy’ is too strong of a word,” she reflected, “but there’s relief that it’s done.”

Hamel said there will be a ceremony in mid-October to recognize the completion of the project. Kurtz, who intends to publish an invitation within the next couple of weeks, expects MassDOT representatives, first responders, state legislators, town officials and affected families will attend.

Previously, Gill and Erving town officials had considered working with MassDOT to have a plaque installed in memory of those who lost their lives at the bridge. Since then, Kurtz said she has spoken “pretty extensively” with the state Department of Mental Health regarding how to most appropriately acknowledge landmarks with “a traumatic history associated with them.” The sentiment that emerged from these conversations, she said, was that something more subtle and to the side, such as a tree or bench, perhaps positioned by one of the adjacent parking areas, would be more appropriate than a written message centered on the bridge.

“We really want whatever is done to highlight the positive contribution that is the bridge barriers,” she explained.

Florence resident Judith Shea said she looked up images of the barriers on Monday, two days after the 13th anniversary of her daughter, Northampton resident Naomi Shea, having jumped from the French King Bridge on Aug. 12, 2010. She said she did so “because people made such a fuss about what a shame it would be to put up a barrier and spoil the nice view just to prevent a few people from” taking their own lives there.

“When I saw it partially finished the last time I looked, I didn’t like what I saw. But now, seeing the final barrier as it looks standing on the bridge and looking down the length of the bridge, I feel quite pleased,” she wrote in an email. “People can stand at the barrier and look through the bars and get a fine view.”

“In my opinion, it makes the view so much better because it’s so much safer,” Crochier said during Gill’s Selectboard meeting on Monday.

Hamel said while this safety barrier project is nearing completion, there is room to “look deeper” at the mental health crisis in an effort to reduce suicides. She also recognized that the grief of families whose loved ones died at the bridge may not go away, even if the suicide rate were to decline due to the barriers. For now, though, she intends to take time to breathe.

“When this is done, I’m going to regroup with my family, and maybe at some point, if needed, I’m going to add my voice to some other places that need the same thing,” she said. “For now, we did this.”

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