The one-lane bridge carries Robert Parker Coffin Road over Buffalo Creek in Long Grove, a village located 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Chicago, Illinois.

[2]: 3,12  Downtown Long Grove is a mixed-use development consisting of homes and businesses, governed by an ordinance dating back to 1962 that ensures that the intersection maintains its quaint, historic style.

[3] The structure is composed of short vertical and horizontal steel beams arranged in a triangular formation, making it a Pratt truss design.

[2]: 3  The end posts are set on a diagonal to meet the top beam, extending horizontally about half the width of the main panels, a feature known as "half-hip".

[4] By the end of the nineteenth century, the expansion of the crossroads on the other side (becoming home to multiple businesses and a town hall) and the rise of the automobile introduced the need for a new, sturdier bridge.

He led the small village through the post–World War II economic expansion that threatened to bring major real estate developments and an expressway, and locals credit the present character of the town to his vision of retaining Long Grove's small-town, rural feel.

Throughout the years after installing the covering, cars would hit it occasionally and cause minor damage, but local business owners would just repair it.

[update][9] This high volume has caused the town to consider additional measures to prevent collisions: electronic height sensors, clearance bars further away from the bridge, more visible warning signage, and working with online mapping services to discourage the route when providing directions.

It is classified by the Illinois Department of Transportation as a "steel Pratt pony truss eyebar" bridge, of which there is only one other remaining in the Chicago area and 32 others in the state.

[2]: 9 The bridge, described as iconic,[4][7][9] has become a source of identity and pride for the village of Long Grove and its residents, and it is featured on the municipality's logo and welcome signs.