The Waubonsie Bridge built by the Kansas City Bridge Company called itself "The Bridge with a State park at Each End" because Arbor Lodge State Park was on the Nebraska side and Waubonsie State Park was on the Iowa side.

The Waubonsie Bridge replaced a pontoon bridge built in 1888 that claimed to be the largest drawbridge of its kind in the world.

The bridge was constructed as part of a highway plan to provide four-lane access between Lincoln, Nebraska and Interstate 29 in Iowa.

The bridge was closed to all traffic in April 2019 as a result of the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods.

The bridge reopened with one lane of travel in each direction on August 1, 2019.