Originally, and rather unimaginatively, known as "Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande" (Fourth Bridge on the Grand Canal), the most recent bridge across the Grand Canal was formally renamed shortly after its opening to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Italian constitution. However, to locals it is, and always will be, the “Ponte di Calatrava” after its designer, the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Installed in 2008, it is hugely controversial for a number of reasons, particularly its lack of wheelchair access, its modernist style, which is totally out of character for the city, and its lack of any real purpose. After all, the next bridge across the Grand Canal is only 330m downstream, and the new bridge serves merely to connect Santa Lucia train station with the Piazzale Roma bus terminal. In addition, the glass steps are extremely dangerous when wet or icy, and are now being replaced, at great cost, with stone steps.