Wesley M Gordon

A judge ruled Tuesday against Caltrans’ motion to resume construction of a 10-foot suicide barrier on Cold Spring Bridge while environmental impact reports are re-circulated.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderle said in a statement that he did not think Caltrans should proceed with construction because there would be violations in the California Environmental Quality Act.

The petition to stop construction was filed by Friends of the Bridge, a group that won a July 13 motion for a writ of mandate.

Anderle granted Friends of the Bridge’s request for Caltrans to re-circulate the final environmental report after it had not submitted final plans for the type of barrier that would be placed.

Anderle said that while he was not going to suggest whether a barrier of any type should be constructed on the bridge, Caltrans should stop construction until their proposal goes through all of the processes of the California Environmental Quality Act.

Marc Chytilo, attorney for Friends of the Bridge, said he expects Caltrans to remove the orange construction fencing soon.