The bridge is named after American poet and essayist Walt Whitman, who resided in nearby Camden toward the end of his life.

[5] The bridge is a part of Interstate 76, which, between the Delaware River and the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, is known as the Schuylkill Expressway; this was originally part of Interstate 676's route until it switched positions with I-76 in 1972.

[6] The controversy that surrounded the naming of the Walt Whitman Bridge has been documented in a series of letters from members of the public held in the Kislak Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

Seniors aged 65 and over with an NJ E-ZPass can use a discount program to pay $3.00 per trip.

On July 17, 2024, the DRPA approved an increase in the toll for passenger vehicles from $5.00 to $6.00, which went into effect on September 1, 2024.