The southwest corner of Arkansas was cut off from the rest of the state by the Red River, which was crossed only by ferries and one railroad bridge until the twentieth century.

The bridge at Garland was designed by state highway engineer Ira G. Hedrick in October 1927 and located along the old military road from El Dorado to Texarkana (later to become part of U.S. Route 82).

Construction activities for the bridge disturbed traffic through Garland, and this period was marked by conflict between state highway authorities and the city.

A highway worker arrested in December and was convicted of dynamiting the bridge, but the man he accused of hiring him was acquitted, and no other persons were brought to trial for the crime.

A steel support system was added to the east end in 1986, but the bridge continued to suffer from spalling concrete on the piers.