The south bridge carries motor vehicle traffic while the similar northern span is used for rail.

In 1995 the steel truss road bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The bridge initially carried Primary State Highway 3, later designated U.S. Route 395.

The crossing was originally intended to be a single dual-use bridge, carrying the highway and the Great Northern Railroad, which also had to be relocated, but a joint contract could not be negotiated with the railroad, and a parallel rail crossing was built with similar construction.

[4] The Kettle Falls road bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1995.