THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO REDUCE SUICIDES AT THE RIO GRANDE GORGE BRIDGE OUTSIDE TAOS. STATE TRANSPORTATION CABINET SECRETARY TOM CHURCH SAYS THE DEPARTMENT IS DESIGNING A PLAN TO INSTALL 10 TELEPHONES AT THE BRIDGE, THAT'LL BE ANSWERED BY THE NEW MEXICO CRISIS ACCESS HOTLINE. HE SAYS HE HOPES IT WILL ENCOURAGE THOSE CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE TO USE THE PHONES TO GET HELP.
SUICIDES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM AT THE GORGE BRIDGE FOR YEARS. THE TAOS NEWS REPORTS MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE HAVE JUMPED FROM THE BRIDGE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
