[3] The new bridge was named in honor of Bill Russell, a notable figure in the history of the Boston Celtics and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in October 2024.

In 1640, the Massachusetts General Court granted Harvard College the revenue from the Boston-Charlestown ferry to help support the institution.

As a condition of chartering the bridge, a sum of £200 was paid annually to Harvard College to compensate for the lost ferry income.

The bridge was privately built and operated, with tolls producing profits for the investors during the charter period, after the initial expense was paid off.

In compensation, the legislature extended the charter period of the Charles River Bridge by 30 years, but the unpopular double tolls on Sundays were eliminated.

The bridge that stood into the 21st century was built in 1900 under chief engineer William Jackson, and was designed to carry the Charlestown Elevated railway in addition to vehicle traffic.

[10] However, due to defects discovered on September 29, 2021, in some of the welds/connections of a portion of the installed steel tub girders,[11] project completion has been delayed until early 2025.