Before construction of the Provencher Bridge began in 1913, another bridge, opened to traffic on April 16, 1882, spanned the Red River, linking the cities of Winnipeg and St. Boniface. The Broadway Bridge, also known as the St. Boniface Bridge, got its name because it connected Provencher Boulevard with Broadway.
Three days after it opened, the bridge was damaged by river ice from the spring break-up and had to be closed. One year later, with repairs completed, the bridge was opened once again. In 1909, the City of St. Boniface bought the bridge, and in 1912, the city engineers recommended that a new bridge be built. Broadway Bridge remained in use until the completion of the construction of the Provencher Bridge in 1918. As is still the case today, this bridge linked Provencher Boulevard and Water Avenue.