Proposals for the new bridge were discussed for many years, starting no later than 1975. The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) replaced the third Berkley–Dighton Bridge because it was seriously structurally deficient, its swing span gears often jammed in the open position, forcing travelers miles to the north or south, and due to the inability for the bridge to handle emergency vehicles. The MHD estimates (2001 data) that 6,200 cars crossed the bridge each day. Bridge upgrade plans were met with opposition for a variety of reasons, including concerns about the impact on local traffic. Commercial trucks were not allowed to use the old bridge. Also, the traffic lights were only triggered by cars stopping on a line in the road. This was very problematic for people not familiar with the bridge.