Work was completed in the summer of 1954 with a total cost of about $7.1 million.

[3][4] The "Pioneer Memorial Bridge" moniker was chosen in a radio contest in 1967, but locals used their own nicknames.

[7] In 2002, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Late in 2005, it was announced that funding had been obtained in order to remedy the situation, by modifying the approaches and exits to the bridge, especially at the Highway 395 southbound exit on the Kennewick side of the bridge.

This included constructing two roundabouts in place of the usual cloverleaf pattern.