Simpsons character Ned Flanders got his very own bridge in Portland, Oregon as of Monday
The bridge was originally named Flanders Crossing when it opened in June, but renamed to encourage Portlanders to be kind to one another, much like the character does
Hi diddly ho, Portland neighborinos!
The Oregon city - which is plagued by homelessness and high crime - invoked Homer Simpson's overly friendly neighbor Ned Flanders as the inspiration for a renamed bridge.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said that Ned is the perfect example for the city's promotion of kindness during Monday's ceremony to add the bushy mustachioed, church-loving character's first name to a pedestrian bridge called Flanders Crossing.
'Ned Flanders has been a quintessential emblem of good neighborliness for over 30 years, keeping his cool and trying his best to be a good neighbor even when confronted with his rather difficult neighbors, the Simpsons,' Wheeler said.
The city with the slogan Keeping Portland Weird could use some kindness. Portland has seen a surge in violent crime, rioting and homelessness.
As of July, the city had over 750 shootings. In early August, Portland broke its record for most homicides in a year with 56 deaths. The previous record was 55 murders in 1994, according to US News and World Report.
Homelessness is also rampant, reaching a record high in the last five years with over 4,500 people on the streets. A recent crackdown on some homeless camps throughout the city has sent even more people roaming around the Rose City.
The Ned Flanders Crossings bridge (pictured) connects the Pearl and Northwest districts of Portland and was designed to provide a safe passageway to pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross the I-405
Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (left), Mayor of Springfield, Oregon, Sean VanGordon (middle) and CEO of Travel Portland Jeff Miller (right) debuted the new plaque on Monday, officially changing the name. The bridge is the first official location dedicated to the Simpsons in the city
Despite the crime and homeless issues, Wheeler hopes the bridge attracts visitors and provides a deeper connection among the residents.
The structure bridges two neighborhoods to create a safe passageway for residents between the Pearl and Northwest districts for pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross the hazardous I-405 highway.
'Flanders Crossing connects two neighborhoods together across
