The first bridge across the Colorado, made entirely of wood, was completed in May 1883 and the two railroads met in Needles August 9 of that year.

The bridge was over 1,600 feet (490 m) long and was built on pilings driven into the alluvial soils of the flood plain of the Mohave Valley.

This led the railroad to seek a better bridge that could withstand the strong spring currents of the Colorado when it carried the winter snow melt.

[3] A new crossing was located about 10 miles (16 km) farther south at Topock, Arizona where the bridge could be built on rock foundations.

[6] The bridge was built at the head of Mohave Canyon, within Topock Gorge, upon piers of red sandstone, quarried in Prescott Junction.

[7] Because of increasing weights of trains, the bridge was strengthened in 1901 with additional stringers and heavier floor beams.

[5] Automobiles using the National Old Trails Road crossed the Colorado in the early 20th century by the Needles Ferry.

Flooding in 1914 disabled the ferry service, and the bridge was put into use by cars when wooden planks were laid across the railroad ties.

[12] Joint ownership by the states of the bridge was accepted on August 24, 1945, in the office of Arizona Governor Sidney Osborn.