The DeFazio Bridge crosses the Willamette River, and stands 66 feet tall and 338 feet long.
Wielding a giant pair of golden scissors Friday, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield, cut a ceremonial ribbon opening the bridge that is his namesake and officially declared the Ferry Street Bridge expansion and renovation complete.
Christened the Peter DeFazio Bridge by an act of the Eugene City Council, the bike and pedestrian bridge had been under construction since June 1997 and is considered the crown jewel of the Ferry Street Bridge project.
The project also widened two lanes on the main bridge and other features to relieve traffic congestion.
“This is a tremendous honor,” DeFazio said. “I am extremely grateful to have this bridge named after me.”
DeFazio was one of the main backers of the bridge renovation and pushed for federal money in Washington, D.C. to raise the $30 million necessary.
“I have been deeply involved in the fight to divert federal dollars to alternative forms of transportation,” DeFazio said.
DeFazio said he considers the bridge to be one of the highlights of the Riverbank Trail system, which stretches from the University’s Autzen Foot Bridge all the way to Valley River Center.
Former Eugene mayor Ruth Bascom was also on hand to reminisce about the origins of the Riverbank Trail, which was cut 28 years ago under her guidance.
“Maybe I love this riverbank trail more than any other Eugenian,” Bascom said. “Or, maybe not. … Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t say ‘thank you for your work on the Riverbank Trail.’”
Gesturing toward the DeFazio Bridge, Bascom called it “the most glorious part of the whole project.”
Framed pictures of the bridge were given to DeFazio and Bascom, and a tracing of the plaque bearing DeFazio’s name was handed to him.
After cutting the ribbon, DeFazio made way for the Eugene Celebration Slug, the mascot of the Eugene Celebration, which led a procession of bicyclists, unicyclists and a bagpipe band across the bridge.
Standing 66 feet tall and 338 feet long, the bridge was constructed in a rather unusual way. Because it uses a special design involving a large central support cable and a number of smaller support cables stretching from top to bottom, the bridge had to be built from the center out.
“This is a unique structure, and because of the suspension design we had to start with the middle observation deck and work our way outwards,” Tom Larsen, project manager for the renovation, said.
After the observation deck was hung from the cables, pre-cast bridge segments were added to each side until the completed span reached the towers on either bank.
Bicyclists and pedestrians using the Riverbank Trail can now cross the river much closer to the city’s center, rather than using the Greenway Bridge across from Valley River Center.