A bond issue to pay for the bridge was passed in 1921, but construction was delayed for years due to squabbles over how the money would be spent.

It stands 93 feet (28 meters) above the river's waterline in order to allow shipping to pass unobstructed.

[6] The bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 8, 1976, after a controversy in which Cuyahoga County engineer Albert S. Porter threatened to remove the historic pylons to widen the span, stating, "Those columns are monstrosities and should be torn down and forgotten.

[15] On December 10, 2012, officials opened a 14.5-foot-wide (4.4 m) multi-use path on the north side of the bridge, part of a project which also added lighting to the Guardians of Traffic.

The elite field boasts multiple Olympians and $14,000 up for grabs in prize money, as well as races for runners of all ages and levels.