Barrier erected on Covehead Bridge to prevent jumping

Parks Canada may have finally found a way to prevent people from jumping off Covehead Bridge.

It's long been a recreational pastimefor daredevils, and for years, Parks Canadahas been warning people of the dangers. It has put up signs on the bridge and issued fines to jumpers.

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Now, Parks Canada is erecting an addition to the guardrail that will create a six-foot high barrier on the bridge. The barrier curves outward to make it difficult to scale, said Bill Courtney of Parks Canada.

"We researched what other bridges around the world had done to deter jumping and we came up with this design," he said.

Courtney said it's dangerous to jump off the bridge because a boat could be travelling underneath it, or jumpers could land on other hazards such as anchors, lobster traps, rope or broken glass.

"You could hit bottom in shallow water," he said. "The depth of the water is changing day to day."

The new barrier, as well as the repaving work on the bridgeis expected to be completed by mid-July, Courtney said.

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