The bridge is named for Mark W. Clark, a decorated Army officer who spent time on Camano Island.

[3] Shortly after the highway is incorporated into the state highway system in 1945, a $615,000 replacement is planned by the state government at the request of Stanwood, Camano Island, and the former town of East Stanwood.

[4] The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) began construction of a new Stillaguamish River bridge in the summer of 2009.

The Mark Clark Bridge is found to be too narrow and vulnerable in the event of a major earthquake.

The new bridge is designed with a width of 56 feet (17 m) to accommodate a four-lane highway, while initially configured for two-lane traffic, and include a wide shoulder for bicyclists and pedestrians.