In the 1930s, Richmonders hoped for a new bridge that would connect downtown to the south side of the river. In January 1933, a group of Richmond realtors explained to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “We have for years believed that just such a bridge was a vital necessity to the South Side and that its construction would be a help to business.” According to the group, “The Ninth and Fourteenth Street bridges are heavily congested and there is much delay when following these routes,” and “The Boulevard bridge, while of great benefit to the West End, is too far west to be any use as communication between the business districts.” They concluded, “Building a new bridge will certainly be a great help to the South Side, and will...prove popular.”