What the Golden Gate Bridge’s anti-suicide net is teaching the rest of the nation

The elegant span that draws visitors from all over the world is no longer a destination for death.

Since completion of a steel net under the Golden Gate Bridge in January, reported suicides are down more than 80%, from an average of 15 to 20 in a six-month period to three, according to newly released data. Suicide attempts also have declined, from about 150 over six months to 56 through June, a more than 60% decrease.

The once-controversial $224 million project is now a case study in suicide prevention...