Between 1750 and 1926, people paid a toll to be taken across the River Oglio on rafts and ferries. In 1926, the towns of Viadana, Marcaria and Dosolo formed a consortium to build and operate a pontoon bridge made of boats. In 1945, enemy bombs sank some of the boats but the bridge was quickly repaired and re-opened the following September.

It has belonged to the Provincia di Mantova since 1961. In 1988, the moorings were reinforced; in 1999 new accommodation was built for those operating the bridge and a new boat-house was built in 2000. The hydraulics of the ramps leading onto the bridge and anchoring hoists were replaced in 2002.