In the center is the railroad bridge - built by The Southern Pacific Railroad between 1928 and the year that it opened in 1930. Trains of the Union Pacific and BNSF also use the span under licensing agreements. Thirty-six Amtrak passenger trains traverse the bridge daily.

On the right is the original automobile bridge which opened in 1962. This saw an end to the last vehicle ferry service to operate in the Bay Area. Carrying traffic in both directions and with rapid population growth in the region - this bridge quickly became a major bottleneck in the region's highway system. The bridge at left opened in 2007 - transporting the northbound traffic while the old bridge became relegated to southbound traffic duties. The new configuration allowed the addition of bicycle and pedestrian lanes on the older structure.

In the background stands Mount Diablo at 3864 feet (1178 m).