It is a steel truss cantilever construction, designed by John Alexander Waddell and built under the auspices of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
It opened simulataneously with the Goethals Bridge on June 29, 1928.
The major features of the design of the bridge are nearly similiar to the Goethals Bridge which was built simultaneously.
The bridge is known colloquially as The Outerbridge.