In 1888 Canadian Pacific Railway work crews cut a new road, “a slit through the forest”, to the North Arm of the Fraser River. It crossed False Creek on a timber bridge erected by the City that same year. This would be the first of three bridges at this location.

The first Granville Street bridge built at a cost of $16,000 in 1888. In 1890 a portion the original bridge collapsed due to a large accumulation of ice on the deck disrupting communication with the south until repairs could be completed.

In 1891 a single track trestle was built along the eastern side of the bridge to accommodate the streetcar tracks of the Fairview Belt line but by 1909 a new steel bridge, complete with a swing span, had been erected to the east of the original to accommodate the increased traffic.

In 1951 Athletic Park, home to professional Pacific Coast League baseball in Vancouver, closed due to the construction of the new Granville Bridge.

Before the park was bulldozed for the construction of the Hemlock on ramp the infield grass was moved to Capilano Stadium (Nat Bailey Stadium). The grass had been trod on by the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ty Cobb.

In 1954 the third and current bridge costing just over $16 million opened to traffic and in the first month almost one million cars crossed over the creek.