Planning for the bridge has been ongoing since the late 1970s. Plans for the bridge began during the end of Arch Moore's term as governor but went into limbo due to a state moratorium on building projects at the time. Construction resumed on the bridge upon the announcement of shared funding from West Virginia, Ohio, and the federal government in 1977 by then-Governor Jay Rockefeller; construction was expected to be completed in 1980. By 1979, the Ohio access route was built but the bridge itself was not opened until August 15, 1986.