Here's a video from the company that built the new handrail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-XCbsyRENI

From your article: "The wind retrofit project is designed to make the Bridge more aerodynamic under high wind conditions and is necessary to ensure the safety and structural integrity of the Bridge for generations to come,” Cosulich-Schwartz said."

This statement doesn't agree with the video's rationale for updating the railings. I'm guessing the new suicide net increased the wind loading, so the handrail had to be modified to reduce its wind loading. Without the suicide net project, I doubt the handrails would be changed. But the suicide net project is contentious politically, so they cannot admit this.

The new handrail uses long, unsupported plates. The old handrail was far more rigid:

https://www.bontena.com/contents/2018/12/Interview-with-Rick...

I'm kinda curious what the rational of the net is. If you're determined to jump off the bridge, you can jump off the net too.

The net is 20 feet below the bridge, so there's quite the adrenaline rush just falling to the net. After getting caught by the net, you're subject to high winds and quite the view, straight down, of the ocean below. Jumping a second time would be mechanically possible, but would not be easy for a human to do. Without the net, it's a quick hop over the side so having the net allows bridge workers critical time to go and respond to any attempts (which is about one every-other-day).

Suicide attempt survivors often say they regret their choice to attempt suicide. Giving them a second chance makes sense in this context.

> “We knew going into the handrail replacement that the bridge would sing during exceptionally high winds from the west, as we saw yesterday. We are pleased to see the new railing is allowing wind to flow more smoothly across the bridge.”