The bridge was part of the unprecedented period of bridge building in Portland during the 1920s.
It was opened on December 21, 1926, and cost  $2 million to construct.
 The bridge was designed by a famous engineer named Gustav Lindenthal.

The bridge is named for its location close to Ross Island, an island in the Willamette River which measures about one-and-a-half by one mile.
The bridge is about 800 feet (250 m) north of the island and does not connect with, nor does it provide access to, Ross Island.
There is a pedestrian walkway on the north side of the bridge, with no barrier between the sidewalk and the westbound right lane.

A pedestrian underpass was built at SW Kelly Avenue and SW Naito Parkway in 1942 by the state of Oregon in conjunction with the Ross Island Bridge project.

The bridge's girders were originally painted black, but in 1955–56 they were repainted green.
 In 1961, Portland architect Lewis Crutcher suggested repainting all of Portland's downtown-area bridges from black into different colors, and the proposal also included changing the Ross Island Bridge's color to blue.
The proposal was approved by the Multnomah County Commission, and repainting of the Ross Island Bridge was carried out in the summer of 1965.
 The bridge's color remains blue today, specifically "phthalo blue".

During the Great Depression, the bank of the Willamette near the Ross Island Bridge became the site of a Hooverville.

In 1976, ownership was transferred from Multnomah County to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
In 2000–2001 the bridge underwent a $12.5 million renovation in which the deck was replaced, the railings were replaced and upgraded, and the drainage system and lighting were improved.
During this renovation, lead paint was discovered, causing some delays and cost overruns.

In 2014, work began on a full repainting of the bridge, including removal of the old, lead-based paint and restoration of the bridge's blue color, which had faded since being applied, in 1965.
The project was completed in early 2019.
The bridge was part of the unprecedented period of bridge building in Portland during the 1920s. It was opened on December 21, 1926, and cost  $2 million to construct.  The bridge was designed by a famous engineer named Gustav Lindenthal.
The bridge is named for its location close to Ross Island, an island in the Willamette River which measures about one-and-a-half by one mile. The bridge is about 800 feet (250 m) north of the island and does not connect with, nor does it provide access to, Ross Island. There is a pedestrian walkway on the north side of the bridge, with no barrier between the sidewalk and the westbound right lane. 
A pedestrian underpass was built at SW Kelly Avenue and SW Naito Parkway in 1942 by the state of Oregon in conjunction with the Ross Island Bridge project. 
The bridge's girders were originally painted black, but in 1955–56 they were repainted green.  In 1961, Portland architect Lewis Crutcher suggested repainting all of Portland's downtown-area bridges from black into different colors, and the proposal also included changing the Ross Island Bridge's color to blue. The proposal was approved by the Multnomah County Commission, and repainting of the Ross Island Bridge was carried out in the summer of 1965.  The bridge's color remains blue today, specifically "phthalo blue".
During the Great Depression, the bank of the Willamette near the Ross Island Bridge became the site of a Hooverville.
In 1976, ownership was transferred from Multnomah County to the Oregon Department of Transportation. In 2000–2001 the bridge underwent a $12.5 million renovation in which the deck was replaced, the railings were replaced and upgraded, and the drainage system and lighting were improved. During this renovation, lead paint was discovered, causing some delays and cost overruns.
In 2014, work began on a full repainting of the bridge, including removal of the old, lead-based paint and restoration of the bridge's blue color, which had faded since being applied, in 1965. The project was completed in early 2019.
Ross Island Bridge