The bridge was originally built to carry rail traffic on a line that paralleled the modern day Archer Road toward what is now the Old Gainesville Depot.

In 2009, the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency determined that a refresh would be needed to improve the structure's appearance and improve the image conveyed by what was a gateway to the city.

In March 2012, construction started on a new design resembling a strand of DNA, with the bridge re-opening on Thanksgiving[2][3] When the bridge was rebuilt in 2012, it was designed as a nod to Gainesville's past as a railroad town, as well as its future in the high-tech industry and the nearby University of Florida Health Science Center.

Although built to resemble a strand of DNA, the structure is not a true double helix, but instead a pair of connected sine waves 180 degrees out of phase.

At night, the bridge is lit by an array of LED lights[4]