 It resembles closely similar bridges of the period, specifically the Howard Taft Memorial Bridge in Washington DC Taft Bridge which took ten years to construct 1897-1907 (as opposed to the two years for Grafton Bridge).In order to dispel doubts about the strength of the still relatively untested type of construction, at the opening in April 1910 two steam rollers were driven across it.This lack of trust also led to a stipulation in the original construction contract that no progress payments should be made, causing the construction company to go into bankruptcy, with the bridge having to be completed by the city.