The Punteney Bridge is a somewhat older concrete girder bridge. It features the tubular pile method of pier construction. The bridge also has the old style open guard rails, which are considered to be obsolete today. Given the low traffic count on the bridge, it is unlikely that the railings will be modernized anytime soon.

This bridge is located at what was once the Port of Aitkin, a busy spot for river steamboats that traveled between Brianerd and Grand Rapids. In fact, the 1898 bridge that was repalced by this 1970 structure was a swingspan that moved out of the way to let steamships travel past the bridge.

Today, the steamship era is long past, and the river bridge is mainly used by farm traffic. There is a very important farming region located in this part of the state.