The bridge begins in the Ditmars Steinway area in Astoria, Queens, near the intersection of Hazen Street and 19th Avenue, and continues to the south side of Rikers Island.

At its center, the bridge has a 52-foot rise allowing clearance for vessels passing beneath the structure.

[4] Before the bridge opened, the only access to Rikers Island was by a ferry,[2] which cost New York City $250,000 per year to operate.

[5] The bridge was proposed in order to provide easier access by fire, police, ambulances, and sanitation vehicles, and to reduce the commute times for employees.

[9] In August 1990, during a labor conflict with then New York City mayor David Dinkins, guards responded to a breakdown in negotiations by barricading access to the bridge.