The Meridian Bridge's construction changed the economy of the region. The material below provides a brief summary of its history.

The Meridian Bridge was built by the Meridian Highway Bridge Company and was completed in 1924. At the time, the bridge was the first constructed over the Missouri River. It is unique in the fact that it was constructed by a private group of investors and was originally constructed to carry vehicle traffic on the upper deck and rail traffic on the lower level. The bridge was constructed to include a vertical lift structure to allow for Missouri River boat traffic.

The ideas and goals included in the plan are developed by the community through the planning process. The process is extremely important because the plan serves as a guide for Commissioners and administrators in the daily decision making process of running the city. The plan is designed to look 20 years into the future of the community. However, timely updates that recognize changes in the community are a necessary part of the responsible implementation of the document.

The tracks on the lower level were never used and were later converted to allow the two level one-way vehicle traffic of today's configuration. In 1953, when the lower level was converted, the mechanism for lifting the 250' vertical span was removed.