Autzen Canoe Canal Footbridge closes again for three-week repair work

Walkers and cyclists lost a major riverfront crossing again Monday, when the Autzen Canoe Canal Footbridge closed for about three weeks so crews can replace a deficient girder and finish repairs near Autzen Stadium and Alton Baker Park. The shutdown interrupts a direct route for people moving between the University of Oregon campus area, the Willamette River path system and one of Eugene’s busiest recreation hubs.

The bridge first closed in February for improvements tied to University of Oregon athletics practice facility upgrades. Crews later discovered a girder that had to be replaced to protect the bridge’s structural integrity, and the span briefly reopened March 30 for pedestrians and cyclists before this second closure began. Eugene officials said the replacement girder took eight to 10 weeks to arrive, which pushed the project into a longer repair phase.

The bridge is expected to reopen permanently May 24, once the final work is complete. Until then, people headed to Alton Baker Dog Park or the Canoe Canal Boat Launch will need to use Lot 8 alternatives and other nearby access points. Parking at Lot 8 near the dog park and launch is expected to remain unavailable through August, leaving the primary Alton Baker Park lot off Club Road near the Eugene Science Center as the main option for park visitors. Canoe Canal users can also reach the area from the West D Boat Ramp in Springfield.

The span, officially the Dave and Lynn Frohnmayer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, has carried traffic over the Willamette River since 1970. The City of Eugene renamed it in September 2009, but many people around Autzen still know it as the Autzen Canoe Canal Footbridge. Its location makes it especially important on busy event days, when pedestrians and cyclists use it to move between campus, Autzen Stadium and the park system.

For the next three weeks, the practical effect is simple: a familiar shortcut is gone, parking is tighter around the dog park and boat launch, and anyone traveling through the Alton Baker area will need to plan for detours until the permanent repair is finished.