These four ramps quickly converge into two separate spans, each carrying four lanes, which, over the course of the length, gradually merge closer.

[9] On January 14, 1964, the western span opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by governor Frank G. Clement, Nashville mayor Beverly Briley, and Evans' widow.

[10] For many years, the segment of I-24 and I-65 containing the Silliman Evans bridge was the only complete portion of the interstates encircling downtown Nashville.

[12] One of the worst traffic accidents in the state's history occurred on the Silliman Evans Bridge on the morning of July 27, 1973, when a sedan on the northbound span crashed through the bridge's guardrails, exited the roadway, and crashed into the ground about 100 feet (30 m) below, killing eight occupants and injuring one.

[16][17][18] In May 2000, I-65 was rerouted off of the Silliman Evans Bridge and onto the western loop around downtown Nashville, forming a new concurrency with I-40 and replacing a segment of freeway designated as I-265.