Prior to 1987, the only access to Mud Island was via the monorail and pedestrian bridge that was built in 1982. The city desired to develop the north end of Mud Island, so an automobile bridge was built. It is an extension of Auction Road, and it is named after A. W. Willis Jr., a famous black attorney who practiced in Memphis for many years. Once this bridge was opened to traffic, developers started to build housing on Mud Island. This area has become a neighborhood that attracts younger upscale residents, partly due to the land prices being very high compared to the rest of Memphis.

Note—this bridge is listed as a bonus bridge since it does not cross the main channel of the Mississippi River. Rather, it crosses a back channel named Wolf Harbor.