The crossing, which opened in October 2017, has three traffic lanes in each direction and is approximately 1.5 km (1 mile) east (upstream) of the older Silver Jubilee Bridge.

It formed part of a wider project to upgrade the infrastructure around the Mersey crossings that included major civil engineering work to realign the road network, refurbish and add tolling to the Silver Jubilee Bridge, and build new interchanges.

[9] After extensive site preparation, construction work began on 7 May 2014 and the bridge opened to traffic just after midnight on 14 October 2017.

[5] As the water depth was too low at this point for marine construction vessels, a 1.5 km (1-mile) trestle was built out into the Mersey to drive in the bridge's pilings.

An interchange and a junction were built to join the southern end to Runcorn's existing Central Expressway.

[11] A 28.5 ha (70-acre) nature reserve was established around the bridge and the surrounding riverside, managed by the Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust, an independent charity tasked with promoting biodiversity, landscape, science, and educational opportunities.

The toll must be paid to Merseyflow online or via telephone before midnight on the day following the crossing, or a penalty charge will be issued.

Halton residents can pay an annual £10 administration fee and make unlimited personal trips at no further cost.

[11] The local authority said the cost of the bridge is expected to be paid off in 25 years, at which point a review on tolls would be conducted.

[16] Unpaid penalty charges are registered as a civil debt, recovery action begins and enforcement agents may be instructed.

A new "Station Quarter" with retail and leisure opportunities is envisioned on the land reclaimed from the road closure.

[29] The Council's appeal was turned down, leading to annulment of charge notices in the period that the signage onto the bridge didn't comply with stated regulations.

During the COVID-19 lockdown period in 2020, an application by Halton Borough Council to suspend tolling operations was made to support key workers.