Blackfriars bridge will reopen on December 1.

The announcement from the City of London comes after a long hiatus for one of the city's oldest river crossings, which saw the 143-year-old bridge removed from its abutments, suspended in midair, before it was dismantled, refurbished and then put back in its place in a spectacle of 21st century engineering.

See London's iconic Blackfriars Bridge get put back where it belongs 2:15

The bridge is North America's only wrought-iron, bowstring-arch, truss bridge that's still in use and its nine-month makeover cost the city $8 million.

Vehicles have not crossed the bridge since 2013, when it was first closed to motor traffic due to safety concerns.

Saturday's reopening marks one of the few positive announcements for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in the city who have been dealing with a frustrating year of construction projects that have stymied the flow of traffic since spring.