Overview:

The bridge will reopen March 30 for about eight to 10 weeks, after which it will be closed again for another three to four weeks.

The wooden footbridge spanning the canoe canal near Autzen Stadium and the Alton Baker Dog Park will reopen next week for about two months.

The city of Eugene and the University of Oregon had closed the high-traffic pedestrian route in February for construction, during which crews found a girder — a metal beam — that needs to be replaced to ensure the footbridge’s “structural integrity,” Public Works Public Affairs Manager Marion Suitor Barnes said in a release. 

The city and UO are reopening the bridge to pedestrian and bicycle traffic on Monday, March 30, as they wait eight to 10 weeks for the new girder to arrive. After that, they will close the footbridge again for three to four weeks to finish construction.

The temporary reopening means those attending Oregon football’s annual Spring Game on April 25 will be able to access the stadium using the footbridge.

Lot 8, a nearby parking lot, will remain closed through August 2026 for construction. People visiting the dog park can use the Alton Baker Park parking lot off Club Road or the city parking lot near Eugene Science Center, Suitor Barnes said.

Grace Chinowsky graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in journalism. She served as editor-in-chief of the university’s independent student newspaper, The GW Hatchet, and interned at CNN and MSNBC. Grace covers Eugene’s city government and the University of Oregon.