Portland, Oregon, has a new attraction for people who can work an alluringly tight red and blue ski-suit after the city named its newest pedestrian crossing after Homer Simpson’s next-door nemesis, Ned Flanders. In its grand announcement Thursday, the city confirmed it had named the crossing after the character, who it described as a “beloved cartoon optimist, left-hander, beleaguered friend of Homer Simpson, and avatar of neighborliness.” City Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said: “It’s a wonderful day for our city... Naming this new bridge after Ned Flanders shows that Portland can build great things and have fun too.” Simpsons creator Matt Groening grew up in Portland and many characters are named after the city’s streets. On Thursday, a bronze plaque was unveiled on the bridge showing a waving Flanders and his familiar call-out: “Hi-Diddly-Ho, neighborinos!”
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