[1] Construction was overseen by N. F. Kinney from the state highway department and H. J. Conroy (a district bridge engineer).

In late May 1947, Luedtke Engineering arrived on site with their pile driver and construction commenced.

Electrical work was contracted to Lake Shore Engineering Company from Iron Mountain, Michigan.

The temporary bridge was fixed to the north bank and mounted to a pontoon on the south end to permit navigation of the channel.

Plans for the transformer structure were approved in April and the bridge opened for traffic on June 27, 1949.

On July 30, it was dedicated in memory of twenty-two locals who died fighting in World War II.

The idea was developed by Paul Belding, a local resident, fisherman, and lighting engineer, shortly before his death in September 2017.

After a little over a year of fundraising efforts managed by a local non-profit, Silver Linings Charlevoix, the bridge was lit with a community celebration on July 4, 2019.

[1] The steel mesh road surface is 44 feet (13 m) wide with 6-foot (1.8 m) sidewalks cantilevered beyond the bridge girders.

The original design included recessed barriers that would rise to block traffic from driving onto the leaves.

[10] Additional crossings have been explored, but the highly seasonal nature of the backups and financial constraints make them impractical.