Its two distinctive 600 feet (180 m) steel arches have the longest span length of any bridge in the state.

[5] When the first non-railroad bridge in the area opened in 1896, it was said to be the longest highway drawbridge in the world at the time.

It provided a roadway and an electric passenger car, accommodated foot traffic, and charged tolls for the crossing.

[9] The choice of large steel through arches for this location, with the roadway suspended from the arches by cables, allowed wide navigation channels on the river, minimized pier construction, and provided a profile to the bridge that was aesthetically pleasing.

Innovative erection methods, the availability of very large structural components, and special metals all contributed to the development of long-span bridge technology.