NASHVILLE –– Tennessee state representatives unanimously voted in agreement this week on a resolution that declared the Natchez Trace Bridge a public health hazard.

The resolution went before the house health committee and subcommittee in February and early March. The resolution will now head to the state senator floor.

Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin, filed a resolution in early February that recognizes death by suicide on the Natchez Trace Bridge, which sits in his district. The resolution comes after the Tennessean reported that as of 2018, 32 people have died by suicide at the bridge.

The structure is 155 feet high and spans across Highway 96, and U.S. Department of Interior and National Park Service officials have not added any new safety features to the structure. The railings on the bridge — which advocates want raised and barrier prevention — stand at 32 inches tall.

If passed in both chambers, legislators will send the resolution to Congress.

"I am happy the resolution has passed in the House and hopeful the Senate will do the same," said Trish Merelo, co-founder of the Natchez Trace Bridge Barrier Coalition. "We're one step closer to the state sending a powerful message to Washington regarding the safety and well-being of our citizens."

About the Natchez Trace Barrier movement

In 2018, Merelo and Nashville resident Sarah Elmer formed the Natchez Trace Bridge Barrier Coalition. Their goal is to find a way to place barriers on the bridge's railing to prevent further deaths. Both women lost immediate family members who jumped from the bridge.

The coalition said the signs and call boxes don't address the railing. Instead, the group would like to raise the barriers higher than 32 inches.

The bridge will turn 25 years old in March. It will be another 25 years before it becomes eligible for landmark status on the National Register of Historic Places.

Opinion:The best way to prevent suicides on the Natchez Trace Bridge is to fix the bridge | Opinion

From February:Franklin lawmaker calls for barriers on the Natchez Trace Bridge to prevent suicides

Special investigation:They lost loved ones to suicide on the Natchez Trace Bridge. They say better barriers could prevent more tragedies.

Reach Emily West at erwest@tennessean.com or 615-613-1380 and on Twitter at @emwest22.