The transfer bridge was constructed in 1911 based on an innovative design by James B. French that allowed cargo to be rapidly loaded and unloaded.
After it fell into disuse, it was in danger of being torn down and removed, but around the year 2000, during renovations of Riverside Park, following the example of Gantry Plaza State Park, it became a prominent feature of the park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
As of October 2014[update], the New York City Department of Parks is in the design phase of a project to reconstruct, restore and adaptively reuse the 69th Street Transfer Bridge.
↑Gray, Christopher. "On Waterfronts of the Present, Rail-Bridge Relics of the Past", The New York Times, November 7, 2004. Accessed September 28, 2025. "In 1911, the New York Central Railroad built such a system, designed by James B. French, at the foot of West 69th Street. French patented his design, which uses two separate decks raised and lowered independently and a wide shed running across the top to protect the lifting machinery."