The E. J. Whitten Bridge is named after Edward James Whitten OAM but he is better known as Ted Whitten or by his nickname Mr Football. 

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In his junior days he played for the Braybrook Football Club in Burke Rd Braybrook and for Collingwood Amateurs. He later signed up with the Footscray Football Club which patriciapted in the Victorian Football League "VFL". Ted made his debut for Footscray in 1961 and he was a key member of the club's 1954 VFL premiership team. He played his last match for Footscray in 1970.

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Ted's Grandfarther, William G. Whitten lived in Wright St, Sunshine during the 1920's.

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The E. J. Whitten Bridge is part of the M80 Ring Rd, also known as the Western Ring Rd that spans the Maribyrnong River Valley at Sunshine North / Keilor East. The bridge is 520 metres long and is the second highest road bridge in Victoria at a height of 50 metres above the river below.

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In 2018 and as part of the M80 Ring Road Upgrade Works the bridge's gap between the two structure was filled to increase the number of lanes from three to five in each direction.

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Photos: Sunshine Advocate

Photos: S&DHS