Between 1916 and 1930, the Mosquito Fleet ferry Pioneer serviced the crossing between Bremerton and Manette for most of the time.

Missing the last ferry meant a long trip around Dyes Inlet through Chico, Silverdale and Tracyton on mostly unimproved roads.

[2] The last person to pay a toll on the bridge was J.C Bartholet, at 3:59 pm that day.

At 5:30 pm, State Senator Lulu Haddon (D-Bremerton) cut a symbolic ribbon, opening the bridge to toll-free traffic.

Since traffic would use the toll-free Manette Bridge instead, tolls were reinstated from November 25, 1958 to October 24, 1972.

The Manette Bridge, which was first built in 1930, was listed as structurally deficient and functionally obsolete.