Many favored a plan about one mile north of the city along WV 2.

Work began on the bridge in 1983 and was completed in August 1985 at a cost of $38 million.

It was only the second of its kind in the United States since it utilized concrete instead of steel for its construction.

Future plans involved tolling the bridge and connecting it to U.S. Route 60 four blocks east.

The bridge was renamed for Marshall University's first member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Frank "Gunner" Gatski, during halftime of the Marshall-UTEP Football game on November 18, 2006.