KITTERY – Transportation officials in Maine are joining their New Hampshire counterparts in a new study regarding suicide prevention barriers on the Interstate 95 bridge connecting Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery.

"MaineDOT will join its partners to investigate the feasibility of potential infrastructure and signage enhancements to increase safety measures on the structure,” said Andrew Gobeil, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation.

Officials in both states have been examining the issue of people committing suicide off bridges spanning the Piscataqua River, including the I-95 bridge, the Sarah Long Bridge and the Memorial Bridge.

In May, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation installed a series of signs on the bridges advertising the 988 Lifeline, a national suicide crisis intervention hotline.

At the time, Portsmouth Fire Chief William McQuillen praised the effort.

“Anything at all we can do to raise the awareness that there’s help available and that people have resources is a positive thing and helps us ultimately,” he said.

In June, New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte formed a working group to explore further suicide prevention options and more recently, the working group commissioned a study to see if it were feasible to build barriers on the I-95 bridge. Right now, there are only four-foot concrete barriers on either side.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the 988 Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.