Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Net lawsuit settled for $97 million

Three years of litigation over delays and cost overruns on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge Physical Suicide Deterrent and Wind Retrofit project has come to an end with a $97 million settlement awarded to contractor Shimmick.

“The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District has amicably resolved the lawsuit with Shimmick/Danny’s Joint Venture related to the construction of the Suicide Deterrent System and Wind Retrofit for the Golden Gate Bridge,” the district wrote in a statement to ENR. “The settlement is an appropriate resolution to the numerous disputes surrounding the project and will allow both parties to focus on completing the remaining work.”

Under the terms of the settlement came into effect on October 31Shimmick will receive $97 million before the end of 2024 to cover costs incurred on the project. In addition, the outstanding scope of work will be reduced by approximately $6 million and the project completion date will be extended.

“We are pleased to resolve this claim in a constructive manner as this settlement reflects a major step forward in our transformation plan,” Shimmick CEO Steve Richard said in a statement. After paying subcontractors’ pass-through claims, Shimmick plans to use the remaining proceeds for ongoing work, including the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge project.

The legal battle stemmed from delays and cost overruns on the project. When the Shimmick team won the contract in 2017, the cost for the project was estimated at $142 million. In July, the bridge district estimated the project cost at $224 million, funded by federal and state grants, bridge tolls, Proposition 63 funds and donations. Shimmick has said the total cost is closer to $398 million.

The lawsuit began in 2021 with steel supplier Vigor Works LLC suing Shimmick and Danny’s Construction Co. sued for $13 million. That suit was settled in 2023 and the terms were not disclosed. The joint venture will be launched in 2022 sued the bridge district for nearly $200 million, including approximately $56 million requested by subcontractors and suppliers.

The main disagreement between the parties stemmed from Shimmick/Danny’s allegation that the bridge district concealed information about the bridge’s condition and deterioration during the bidding process, making it more difficult to complete the work on time and on budget .

The joint venture claimed in court documents that it initially priced the work lower than it would have had it known about the span’s condition. Records show the joint venture was the lower of two bidders for the project at $142 million. The other bidder, American Bridge Co., offered $172 million. The bridge district has protested against this two changes in Shimmick’s ownership since the contract award in early 2017 were a factor in the delays.

The project includes a new barrier along the entire 2.7-mile span, consisting of marine-grade steel netting, 20 feet below and 20 feet out on either side of the bridge. Some parts have vertical fencing instead or a combination of both. The replacement of a “traveler system” under the bridge, used for maintenance access and wind renovation, was part of the project.

The Bridge District commemorated the grid’s major installation in the summer of 2024, noting that it had already saved lives by reducing suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge since its installation in early 2024. The net’s design is inspired by similar structures on tall buildings and bridges around the world, and the steel is purposefully designed to be painful to jump on as an additional deterrent.

Over the past twenty years, there has been an average of thirty confirmed suicides per year on the Golden Gate Bridge. In 2023, when it was just under construction, there were fourteen confirmed suicides and in 2024 that number continued to decline.

“While the project is not yet complete, it is already working to save lives by reducing the suicide rate at the Golden Gate Bridge and deterring people from coming to the bridge to harm themselves,” it wrote district in a statement. “The net is a proven design that deters people from jumping, serves as a symbol of care and hope for despondent individuals and offers people a second chance.”

Shimmick expects to achieve substantial completion of the on-site portion of the entire project in the third quarter of 2025.

“We are extremely proud,” says Richards, “of the excellent work our team has done on this challenging and critical project.”