[2] The bridge crosses the upper Adda River gorge that divides the western and eastern parts of Lombardy.

After the Unification of Italy, the newborn kingdom began a coordination project within the railway routes managed by many private companies.

Furthermore, along the Adda river were many textile factories and the existing communications routes were becoming increasingly inadequate compared to the needs of industrialization.

This scenario brought to the decision of building a railway link between Carnate-Usmate and Ponte San Pietro, so as to efficiently connect the area's productive poles.

The Società Nazionale Officine di Savigliano (SNOS) was allowed to participate with its own project in March 1886, consisting of 12 technical drawings.

The competition saw four participating projects in total and the Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici (technical body of the homonymous ministry) assigned the task to the SNOS.

Small changes were made to the original project, making the bridge 42 metres longer and bringing it to its current size.

[7] The blessing ceremony took place on 26 May 1889, attended by Archbishop of Milan Luigi Nazari di Calabiana and other members of the Milanese clergy.

A refreshment took place on a hill near the bridge, where the mayor of Robbiate gave a celebratory speech, inviting everybody to a collective hug between the Adda people.

Fast and stable connections were established between the two parts of Lombardy thanks to the opening of the bridge, reducing the travel time and making the opening of new trade routes viable, for example between the productive areas of eastern Piedmont (Novara and Vercelli) and the industries of eastern Lombardy (especially in the Bergamo and Brescia territories).

During the XX century the bridge was also used for bungee jumping with the installation of specific temporary structures, but they were removed because of their non-compliance with the existing regulations.

Another shuttle service was activated, directly crossing the bridge and linking the stations of Paderno and Calusco.