It carries West Broadway (CR 673), traditionally the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike, and connects to County Route 509 at its west end.

The flood of 1903 caused damage or destruction of most bridges in the vicinity of Paterson; the West Street bridge survived with serious damage.

[7][8] The bridge is considered a nationally significant example of the Melan arch bridge technology and one of earliest and the most important concrete-steel spans in the Northeast.

A historic bridge survey conducted by NJDOT from 1991–1994 determined that the bridge is eligible for listing on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.

In March 1997, the State Historic Preservation Office concurred (NJRHP #3959).