The crumbling Dufferin St. bridge over the rail corridor north of Exhibition Place will close to cars and trucks June 12 for up to 18 months, officials announced Friday.

The bridge carries 18,000 vehicles a day, whose drivers will now have to find another route.

Signs announcing the closure go up next week near the 102-year-old bridge, which the city had hoped could remain in service until after the 2015 Pan Am Games, which will be using Exhibition Place.

However, a routine inspection noted problems and outside engineers were brought in who recommended closing it, said Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 14, Parkdale-High Park).

Pedestrians and cyclists will be allowed to keep using the bridge. Engineers are working on temporary measures to reinstate vehicular traffic within 18 months.

Work on the new $17 million replacement bridge is expected to begin in 2016. It’s unknown how long the project might take.