At 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) in length it is one of West Africa's longest bridges and includes a 100-metre-wide (110 yd) central span to facilitate continued use of the river by boats.

[2] The bridge was first mooted in 1956 and the French government committed funds for its construction in 1971 but the start of works was delayed by periods of strained tensions between Gambia and Senegal.

[7][8] The remaining funding was approved for the project by the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction government of Gambia; who state that no contribution was made by Senegal.

[10] The structure is made of reinforced concrete and has a total length of 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) – of which the section that crosses the river is 942 metres (1,030 yd) long.

[2][3][6] It has piled foundations but unexpectedly thick layers of mud (up to 20 metres (66 ft) in depth) on the river banks caused delays in construction.

[3][14] Gambian Vice President Fatoumata Tambajang, the minister of works Bai Lamin Jobe and his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo were also in attendance.

[1] This project, spearheaded by the New Partnership for Africa's Development seeks to link Nouakchott in Mauritania with Lagos in Nigeria via a 15-country, 4,560-kilometre (2,830 mi) highway in the hope of boosting trade and co-operation in the region.

The Gambian press has criticised the government for failing to set up a public–private partnership to ensure tolls fund the future maintenance of the structure.