Do you like bridges, hiking and free pancakes?

We’ve got news for you.

Portland’s next new bridge, a pedestrian-only structure spanning West Burnside Street, officially opens Oct. 27.

There will be pancakes. They are free, though the parks foundation is encouraging people who can to donate.

When it opens, the long-awaited Barbara Walker Crossing is expected to carry 80,000 hikers and runners on the Wildwood Trail every year, giving folks a safe walking route over Burnside.

The nonprofit Portland Parks Foundation led the three-year planning and fundraising effort, alongside the city’s transportation and parks bureau and the Metro regional government. The foundation helped pull in $2.2 million from roughly 900 donations, about 63% of the construction cost.

“Congratulations to the Portland Parks Foundation on this exciting new bridge and a successful fundraising campaign,” Portland Parks Commissioner Nick Fish said in a statement. “The Barbara Walker Crossing will make connecting to popular destinations in Forest Park, Hoyt Arboretum, and Washington Park easier and safer.”

Randy Gragg, executive director of the Portland Parks Foundation, said the bridge “simply would not have happened without the community’s commitment and generosity.”

“The donors included everyone from the region’s major foundations to individual community members making $20 gifts,” he added.

The city chipped in $1.3 million, from the general fund and charges levied on developers. Metro also funneled $200,000 from a 2014 bond measure. Construction began in March.

The bridge is named for Walker, a parks and open spaces champion who died in 2014.

The foundation is operating a shuttle for folks interested in getting there. West Burnside will be closed throughout the four-hour event.

Details:

WHAT: Grand opening of the Barbara Walker Crossing

WHERE: Where the Wildwood Trail intersects West Burnside between Hoyt Arboretum and Pittock Mansion

HOW TO GET THERE: Washington Park MAX Station at the Oregon Zoo, Shuttles begin departing at 8:00 a.m. Route opens at 8 a.m.; parade to the bridge will start at 8:30 a.m.

WHEN: 8:00 a.m.-noon

OPENING CEREMONY: 9:30 a.m.

FOOT TRAFFIC WILDWOOD DASH: 8:45 a.m.

ADMISSION: Free, so are the shuttles. The foundation said it would accept a “sliding scale donations for all-you-can-eat pancakes. And people can sign up for the shuttle and pancakes at barbarawalkercrossing.com

ROAD CLOSURE: West Burnside will be entirely closed for the event between NW Hermosa Boulevard and NW Barnes Road. A lane closure between SW Fischer Lane and NW 24th Avenue will reduce traffic to two lanes.

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-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

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