The Footbridge Over Burnside
Join the Crowdfund and Help Close the Gap
You’re traveling on Portland’s iconic Wildwood Trail when you suddenly have to pull up short: What’s this? A three-lane, high-speed urban arterial smack in the middle of your peaceful forest? Or, you’re cruising in your car down Burnside toward the city at 40 mph when the car in front of you screeches to a dead stop. You slam on your breaks and narrowly avoid a collision. As you look up, you see a group of hikers darting across the street.
For too long Wildwood Trail users have been endangered – and their experience in nature interrupted – by the crossing at West Burnside Street. Now we’re doing something about it. And we need your help!
THE BRIDGE OVER BURNSIDE
The Portland Parks Foundation is building the Footbridge Over Burnside, a pedestrian footbridge that connects the north and south sides of the Wildwood Trail as it crosses Burnside. Designed by Ed Carpenter, a Pacific Northwest artist specializing in large-scale public installations, the Footbridge will mirror the natural elements around it, both blending in and connecting to its surroundings. Construction is set to begin in 2018.
A PUBLIC NEED FOR SAFETY
The dangerous crossing at Burnside was identified over 20 years ago in the city’s pedestrian master plan and again in the 2008 transportation safety plan as a problem. As traffic has increased in Portland, it has only gotten worse. Over 80,000 runners, hikers, walkers, and schoolchildren each year navigate this dangerous crossing as 20,000 cars flash past each day.
UNINTERRUPTED NATURE
The Wildwood Trail is a part of the 40-Mile Loop and one of the few places in America where you can run or hike long distances on wooded trails without leaving the city. Building the Footbridge over Burnside dramatically improves the trail and outdoor experience, whether you’re training for a race or a long hike, enjoying a quiet walk in nature, learning more about our urban forest with your school class, or journeying from one cultural gem to another.
FUNDING FOR THE BRIDGE – GET INVOLVED!
Thanks to generous support from community members and committed seed funding from the City of Portland and Metro, PPF has raised more than $2.3 million toward building the Footbridge. This fall, PPF is launching an online crowdfund campaign to close the funding gap and assure that construction can begin in 2018.
Help us close the gap in this final phase of fundraising. You’ll be creating a beautiful public work that enhances recreational and natural experiences for people from all over the world!
On September 20, join the crowdfund at www.oregonskitchentable.org/footbridge-over-burnside.
ABOUT PORTLAND PARKS FOUNDATION
The Portland Parks Foundation mobilizes financial and popular support to ensure a thriving and accessible parks system for a healthy Portland. We accomplish this mission through delivering leadership, partnership and funding that advances a commitment to excellence, accessibility and good stewardship of our parks. To learn more, please visit us at www.portlandpf.org.