First opened for traffic on April 1, 1891, the Dardanelle pontoon bridge was used for nearly four decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, except for periods when its operation was interrupted by high river flows or other disruptions.
Preliminary work for a new, permanent bridge began early in 1926 after construction bonds were approved by voters in Yell and Pope Counties in 1925. While it was being built, the pontoon bridge was damaged by flooding and rebuilt in the summer of 1927, in December 1927, and again in the spring of 1928.
The new free $600,000 steel and concrete bridge at Dardanelle, linking Yell and Pope Counties, was dedicated on January 17, 1929. It replaced the toll pontoon bridge. The new bridge was 2,034 feet long, not including the approaches.