Although it was long rumored that the bridge was constructed due to Governor Huey Long's political issues with the town of Melville upstream, which was originally on the route for U.S. Highway 71 and Jefferson Highway, plans for this bridge in Krotz Springs (originally as a toll) were announced as early as 1925.

[1] This original span opened July 1, 1928, as a free bridge and carried railroad and automobile traffic, similar to the Atchafalya River Crossing in Simmesport.

Shortly before the dual crossing ended, the railroad commission charged tolls for automobiles.

The original bridge, a truss span costing $1 million, was built in 1934 and carried two lanes of US 190 traffic.

In September 2015, the bridge was named for Krotz Springs Port officials Frank and Sal Diesi.