On the Manhattan side of the river, the bridge is located at East 103rd Street, between Exits 14 and 15 of the FDR Drive.

The bridge was built in 1807 to serve a cotton business run by Philip Milledolar and Bartholomew Ward and lasted until 1821, when it was destroyed by a storm.

[5][6] Designed by Othmar Hermann Ammann and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,[7] the footbridge was originally known as the Harlem River Pedestrian Bridge.

Tenants believed that the patients were responsible for increased levels of crime in their neighborhood, although others were unhappy with the limited park access.

[14] The Wards Island Bridge underwent a $15 million reconstruction between 2010 and 2012, which included replacement of the walkway deck, steel superstructure, and electrical and mechanical control systems.