The central span was considered quite long (but not the longest, at 340 metres) at the time of its opening and is still one of the 100 largest suspension bridges.

The bridge was commissioned by Hercílio Luz, then governor of the state of Santa Catarina, to be the first permanent link between the island and the mainland.

At the time, other cities in the state considered the island to be too remote to be the administrative and political centre and consequently there was a movement to transfer the capital to Lages.

Luz didn't get to see his bridge completed, dying in 1924 twelve days after having inaugurated a wooden replica built in XV Square specifically for the symbolic act.

In addition, a manoeuvre of the U.S. bankers arranging the financing made the state of Santa Catarina liable for debts of the failed institution.

It closed completely on July 4, 1991, after a report analyzing the feasibility of reopening the bridge to vehicular traffic was presented in February 1990.

[1] Restoration work on the main span was supposed to begin in 2009, but after delays by the contractor the contract was split into two parts.

The restoration was extensive, involving the replacement of the entire eyebar suspension system, and the pin joints at the bases of the towers.

The end of construction, however, will occur in 2020, with the removal of auxiliary structures over the central bridge span, alongside the installation of scenic lighting.