Blackfriars Bridge frame lifted into place over Thames River

After nine long months of rehabilitation, the frame of London’s historic 142-year-old Blackfriars Bridge is once again back in its rightful place over the Thames River.

With the help of a massive crane, crews spent around 30 minutes Wednesday morning lifting the frame of the wrought iron bridge up from the western side of the Thames, where workers have spent weeks welding pieces of the bridge together, and swinging it into place onto its abutments.

The bridge, built in 1875, was closed to vehicles in 2013 and closed to pedestrians in October 2017 ahead of an intensive and long-awaited $7.9 million rehabilitation, conducted by McLean Taylor Construction Ltd. and Dillon Consulting.

PHOTOS: Workers weld together pieces of Blackfriars Bridge

Though the structural frame of the bridge is finally in place, there remains much work to be done.

“Floor beams need to be added, the deck – so the walking and riding surface – the pedestrian railing, a whole lot of components need to be added still, and that’s finicky work that needs to be done over the river,” said Doug McRae, the city’s manager of transportation, planning and design.

“Once all that’s done, some final touch-up painting, and coating, to make sure it’s a durable, resistant structure for another 80 years.”

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McRae said the city expects the bridge to be fully open in November.

PHOTOS: Photos of Blackfriars Bridge

The bridge was designated a heritage structure in 1992 and is one of a small number of bridges like it that are still in use.

In 2016, the bridge was recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering.