This bridge in Vicksburg was built as part of the I-20 project. Due to the configuration of the river and the existing rail/highway bridge, the I-20 bridge had to be built either right next to the existing bridge, or it would need to be at least a mile and a half downstream. The decision was to build next to the old bridge. This forced a key design element in that the piers had to match up between the bridges to facilitate navigation.

While the two bridges look similar, the new bridge has a simpler design based on fewer but heavier structural members.

It was noted that the Old Vicksburg Bridge suffered an event where the ground under two piers moved shortly after construction. The old bridge was able to survive that incident. As a result, engineers were watching the new bridge for signs of similar movement. In the two year period from March 2000 to March 2002, the eastern two piers of this new bridge moved 4 inches laterally. A consulting engineering firm was brought in to look at the situation. They discovered an active fault running along the river near the east bank. It will be interesting to see how this turns out in the future.