New bridge opens with 'Walk to the West Side' tomorrow | Events

The City of Tucson is inviting everyone to participate in the opening of the new Luis G. Gutierrez Bridge.

This new bridge can be used for safe crossing for both pedestrians and bicycles.  The ‘Walk to the West Side’ will begin tomorrow at 4 p.m. with guest speakers, a tour of the bridge with artist Brenda Semanick and mariachi performances.  The event will take place on the west side of the new bridge.  Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, former Mayor Bob Walkup and former Tucson City Manager Luis G. Gutierrez (who the bridge is named after) will attend the event.

There will be University Pedicabs available to tour Mission Gardens; the Mercado San Agustin will be on hand to host the Community Food Bank’s Santa Cruz River Farmer’s Market.  There will be free parking available at Avenida Del Convento (west of I-10) and at Riverpark Inn on the east side of the bridge at 350 S. Freeway. 

Council member Romero had this to say about the bridge and the event,

"This beautiful bridge is linking east and west side neighborhoods, and doubling the size of our Downtown. We need to celebrate it every step of the way.  Today we celebrate pedestrian and bicycle connections, and early next year we will be multi-modal with the Sun Link Streetcar."

This new bridge (over 320 feet long) will help connect the Sun Link Tucson Streetcar project, as well as provide an east-west passage way for all types of traffic (pedestrian, bicycles, motorists as well as buses and the streetcar).

The bridge is named for former City Manager Gutierrez, who had a profound impact on the City’s west side, helping downtown revitalization while maintaining the historic integrity of the area that is often referred to as Tucson’s birthplace.  Considered by many to be a gifted administrator, Gutierrez was often a “bridge builder” between constituents and special interest groups.

Adding to the beauty of the bridge is an elaborate public art piece created by Tucson artists Brenda Semanick and David Johnson Vandeberg, which highlights the historical and natural aspects of the area.  There are various mediums built into the project – steel cutout canopies, handmade bat sculptures, and replicas of Hohokam pottery shards. 

For more information on the Walk to the West Side event, contact Ward 1 at 791-4040 or visit http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/announcement/celebrate-luis-g-gutierrez-bridge