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It’s not a subject many transportation authorities want to address publicly, but the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority is disturbed by the increasing number of suicides it has seen along the Blue Line–and they’re asking for the public’s help.
Since the 22-mile long light rail line opened in 1990, there have been 31 suicides along the 22-station alignment, more than all six other lines combined. In the last 15 months alone, seven suicides have occurred on the same stretch. So far this year, three of the four deaths on the Blue Line were caused by people taking their own lives; one of these was in Long Beach.
“Station platform ends and cab-signal grade crossings where trains travel up to 55MPH [are the most dangerous areas],” said Metro’s Communications Manager Jose Ubaldo. “[But} suicides can happen anywhere along the alignment.”
The line, one of the busiest in the nation with more than 30 million passengers a year, connects downtown Los Angeles to Downtown Long Beach and runs mostly at street level through a slew of working class neighborhoods from Vernon to Compton to Carson. Long Beach’s portion of the Blue Line–from the Del Amo to Pacific stations–has seen at least one suicide per year since 2011, including two at the Del Amo Station.
Accidental deaths on the Blue Line have decreased this year, prompting Metro to lead a vigilant campaign to prevent the continuing suicides. In addition to posting suicide prevention hotline numbers at multiple stations throughout the line, Metro has also deployed safety ambassadors–retired bus and rail operators, many of whom have seen these suicides first hand–to patrol areas where accidents have previously occurred.
“Light rail trains operate at grade in urban areas throughout the world without the prevalence of suicide we’re experiencing on the Metro Blue Line,” said Metro Board Chair Diane DuBois. “We continue to invest in safety improvements couple with education and enforcement of safety laws. And while our rail safety ambassadors and operators have thwarted some suicide attempts, we can’t stop them all.”
According to Metro, the Blue Line has 14 ambassadors stationed at seven key locations, Monday through Friday, from 6AM to 6PM. They have stopped at least three would-be suicide victims so far this year.
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