Jason Koski/University Photography

A worker from Pike Co. removes temporary fencing from the Stone Arch Bridge on College Avenue.

Cornell has begun removing the temporary fencing that has been on seven bridges on and around campus since 2010. This follows the university’s installation of horizontal nets made of tensile steel mesh underneath six bridges on and near campus. A seventh bridge, the Suspension Bridge, will be fitted with a vertical mesh “sock.”

Low-visibility steel mesh, hung below the bridge decks, fulfills a promise to the Cornell and Ithaca communities that permanent public safety systems would not obstruct views of the gorges, which are a source of local pride. Means restriction systems on the bridges are an important element in Cornell’s comprehensive approach to promoting mental health and preventing suicide.

The installation project, which began in August 2012, is scheduled to be completed Aug. 1.