[1] The bridge was opened on March 22, 1918, allowing trains on the Dovre Line access to Trondheim Central Station while also being able to open to allow ships on the Trondheim Canal (Vestre kanalhavn) access to the Trondheimsfjord.

It was built at the same time the Dovre Line was rebuilt from narrow gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge and the stretch between Marienborg and Trondheim Central Station was double tracked.

The Strauss designed single-leaf iron truss railway bridge with overhead counterweight provides clearance for boat traffic.

[3] In 2006, Skansen Bridge received architectural conservation by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) based upon Skansen Bridge being unique in Norway and only one of a few of its kind left in the world.

The conservation does not include the railway track, signal equipment or the overhead wires.