The original bridge that crossed the Cooper River was 2.71-mile long and was built in 1928 with the help of John P. Grace. It was aptly named after him as the ?Grace Memorial Bridge?. It was finished after only 17 months of construction. In 1979, the bridge became insufficient and obsolete even after the addition of a parallel bridge in 1966.

Because of the deterioration of the two cantilever truss bridges, the call for a new bridge was proposed. Now known as the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge or the New Cooper River Bridge, the reconstructed 8-lane cable-stayed bridge connects Charleston to Mt. Pleasant. It is named after a retired congressman and senator who helped solve the building grant problem that paved the way for its re-construction. It was officially opened in July 16, 2005 which is a year earlier than the expected date of construction. The New Cooper River Bridge is 471 meters long and considered as the longest of its kind in North America.