The bridge carries Jefferson Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Southwest Detroit, over the River Rouge, an important inland route for lake freighters.

[3] This design, prototyped by the 1902 Cortland Street Drawbridge, is optimized for tight spaces, and features a hidden counterweight that descends into a pit when the bridge opens.

[3] A bond issue to fund construction was approved by Wayne County voters, and an alternate route onto which Jefferson Avenue traffic could be shunted was devised.

[3] In the early 1980s, the county spent $2.2 million to repair portions of the West Jefferson Bridge (as well as doing similar work to the crossing at Dix Avenue).

The Herbert C. Jackson, loaded with iron ore bound for the Rouge Steel plant, dropped its anchors and reversed its engines, but could not stop in time.

The bridge was closed to road traffic for over three years while repairs were made, to the displeasure of city leaders in River Rouge, who criticized Wayne County officials for inaction.