Constructed as a toll bridge for auto and street car traffic by George S. Gandy, a pioneer West Coast developer, it was begun in 1922 and opened in 1924. The structure consisted of 3¼ miles of causeways and 2½ miles of bridge, and at its completion was one of the world's longest bridges. It cut the distance from St. Petersburg to Tampa in half and played a prominent part in the development of the Bay area.