Urban Trail Enhanced With Stunning New Asset

For decades, runners and hikers on Portland's iconic Wildwood hiking trail—one of the longest urban hiking trails in the country—have dreamt of a pedestrian bridge that would allow them to safely cross the busy thoroughfare of West Burnside. The at-grade crossing has long been viewed as a tragedy waiting to happen. With leadership from the Portland Parks Foundation, a new footbridge recently opened. Named for one of Portland's greatest parks and trails advocates, the 178-foot-long Barbara Walker Crossing is a safe and beautiful footbridge for the estimated 80,000 pedestrians who use this part of the trail annually. DWT's Marcus Eyth and Steve Mach represented the foundation in the negotiation of the bridge's design and construction contracts, and also assisted in planning, negotiating, and documenting the handoff of the bridge to the city's Parks & Recreation Department.