Barbara Walker Crossing
Barbara Walker Crossing | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°31′18″N 122°43′07″W / 45.52163°N 122.71854°W |
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | West Burnside Street |
| Locale | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Other name(s) | Wildwood Trail Bridge |
| Named for | Barbara Walker |
| Owner | Portland Parks & Recreation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Trichord truss |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 180 feet (55 m) |
| History | |
| Construction cost | $4.05 million |
| Opened | October 2019 |
| Standort | |
 | |
Barbara Walker Crossing is a footbridge carrying the Wildwood Trail across West Burnside Street to connect Portland, Oregon's Forest Park and Washington Park, in the United States.
Description
Barbara Walker Crossing is a 180-foot (55 m) steel footbridge connecting Forest Park and Washington Park by carrying the Wildwood Trail across West Burnside Street. The bridge was designed by Ed Carpenter and named after Barbara Walker, a parks advocate.[1] It cost $4.05 million and was designed to carry 50 tons, with a 74-ton maximum load. According to Joseph Gallivan of the Portland Tribune, "The bridge is striking for its green spikes, which vaguely resemble ferns or evergreen needles."[1] The bridge was built for the Portland Parks Foundation, before ownership was transferred to Portland Parks & Recreation.[1]
History
Various groups of people worked to build a crossing, initially known as the Wildwood Trail bridge, across Burnside for approximately 30 years. Stakeholders sought to create "a safe, continuous, delicate, iconic bridge that fits the site aesthetic, which could be constructed off-site, installed with minimal disruption, and prove cost-effective".[1]
Carpenter worked with Portland's KPFF Consulting Engineers, who confirmed a single piling was sufficient to support the bridge. R&H Construction was hired for installation, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation ensured permit procedure were followed correctly.[1]
Bauwesen
The bridge was constructed at Supreme Steel in the Parkrose neighborhood. It was separated into three pieces before being transported to Burnside over five days. The three pieces, south to north, weighed 10, 5.5 and 8 tons, respectively.[1] The street was closed for two days during installation. According to one project manager for R&H Construction, the installation was difficult for two reasons: "A tight worksite with heavy traffic that doesn't always obey the posted reduced speed limits around the construction site. Also, working with large bridge sections that are not only in a 'V' shape, but also on a 150-degree radius, requires extensive preplanning in order to erect each section safely."[1] The bridge was installed in October 2019, and a grand opening ceremony followed on October 27.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Gallivan, Joseph (October 15, 2019). "Slideshow: Safe passage: Barbara Walker Crossing to open". Portland Tribune. Retrieved January 16, 2020.