It’ll likely be 2016 before another vehicle drives across London’s historic-but-timeworn Blackfriars Bridge.

But after Coun. Judy Bryant successfully pushed another short-term fix, the 138-year-old span will be open again to pedestrians and cyclists within weeks.

Once again closed amid ongoing structural concerns, city staff will start the process of doing an environmental assessment to chart future options — including a full overhaul or tearing it down. That “EA” process will take as long as two years.

Once complete, the repairs (or replacement) it recommends would take another year.

So the beautiful wrought-iron landmark — it’s the logo for London native Paul Haggis’s Hollywood production firm — is closed for the foreseeable future to drivers, though Bryant managed to keep it from closing to all.

Tuesday, she pushed an option that had been rejected by the civic works committee to spend about $250,000 repairing the structure enough that bikes and pedestrians could use it. Council approved that, 12-3.

“This is a very important piece of London,” Coun. Harold Usher said. “We need to keep it open.”

City hall has spent roughly $750,000 over the past decade on short-term fixes for the old bridge, which had its last real structural overhaul in 1950.

It’s possible another overhaul, likely costing a few million dollars, will be recommended once the environmental assessment is done. If so, it’s reasonable Blackfriars could live on for another 60 or 70 years.

But in the meantime, the estimated 1,000 people who walk and cycle across it daily will retain access. Those now driving across it may find a way to park elsewhere, politicians suggested, and go across on foot.

Staff had offered another, costlier option — spending about $400,000 now to allow vehicle traffic during the EA process — but politicians turned that down.

Patrick.maloney@sunmedia.ca

Twitter.com/patatLFPress