The first was built in 1808 for foot, horse and stagecoach traffic, and bridges in the vicinity were repaired and replaced several times in the 19th century.

[2] In 2019, Virginia announced that it would help fund and build a new rail bridge parallel to the existing one to double its capacity, following the plans that have been studied by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) since 2011.

The Washington Bridge Company was authorized on February 5, 1808, by the District Commissioners and an Act of Congress with the purpose of shortening the distance in the country's main mail route.

Built as a timber pile structure with two draw spans, it connected the city of Washington to Alexandria County.

[11][10] A board of commissioners oversaw the subscription of stocks to raise capital for the build, not to exceed $200,000, equal to $3,815,000 today.

A toll was put in place with prices set by Congress and posted at the bridge for up to 60 years after opening: No toll was to be collected for: On August 24, 1814, following the Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812 the President, officers of the country and American troops used it to retreat to Virginia and burnt the south end of the bridge behind them.

The next day, British troops burned the north end of the bridge as they entered the City of Washington.

[14] The beginning of the Civil War in 1861, and the secession of the state of Virginia on May 23, 1861, made the military value of the bridge evident.

Local and federal politics along with personal interests of politicians made it possible for the newcomer to gain access to the city.

[16] On February 11, 1862, Daniel McCallum was appointed Military Director and Superintendent of the Union railroads, with the staff rank of colonel, by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.

McCallum had authority to "enter upon, take possession of, hold and use all railroads, engines, cars, locomotives, and equipment that may be required for the transport of troops, arms, ammunition, and military supplies of the United States, and to do and perform all acts... that may be necessary and proper... for the safe and speedy transport aforesaid," he wrote in an 1866 report.

On July 23, 1864, a new, stronger bridge, built by the Washington, Alexandria and Georgetown Railroad Company was completed about 100 feet (30 m) downriver.

[18][19] On February 18, 1865, the U.S. Military railroad engine Charles Minot was crossing the old bridge when its weight caused the span to fail.

The failure was such that the military decided it was easier and important enough to take possession of the new bridge and install rail on it than repair the old one.

[26] An October 1, 1870, flood damaged the existing bridges beyond repair, with much of the causeway, wooden superstructure and spans carried away.

[5][29] On July 2, 1872, the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway opened, providing the first direct all-rail connection between the north and Richmond, Virginia.

[30] Despite the new design the 1872 bridge continued to be damaged by freshets, it blocked river traffic and was not wide enough for two tracks.

They wanted one high enough for sailing vessels to pass beneath, that could serve multiple carriers and end the problems caused by freshets.

The new bridge they proposed would enter the city on a viaduct and, with a tunnel under Virginia Avenue, eliminate all grade-crossings as well as connect to a new Union Station.

It wasn't until the 1980s that planners of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) system, began calling it the "Long Bridge" and the name stuck.

In 1955, the Commerce Department performed a study of Washington, DC area drawbridges and determined that the cost and inconvenience of maintaining the draw bridges was not worth the advantages of keeping the river navigable.

The three bridges at 14th Street opened only 315 times in 1954 and cost $270,000 to operate and maintain, while also causing traffic tie-ups.

The last time it was opened was March 1969 to allow barges used in the removal of the old Highway Bridge to pass through.

The tender's control house, or shanty, on top of the draw remained - often used as a billboard for Georgetown crew races until it was removed in late 1982 or early 1983.

After Penn Central declared bankruptcy, the bridge was sold to the new Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail).

[citation needed] In 2011 the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), began a High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail grant-funded comprehensive study for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Long Bridge.

The Long Bridge has historically been one of the worst bottlenecks in the national rail system, often operating at 98 percent capacity.

[63] The EIS approval in 2020 cleared the way for final engineering design, financing and construction of the Long Bridge expansion.