An 89-year-old bridge in northeast Minneapolis was unexpectedly closed Friday because city officials were concerned that too many overweight vehicles were crossing the soon-to-be-replaced span.

The St. Anthony Parkway Bridge is now closed to all traffic indefinitely, the city announced. That includes not only vehicles but bicycles and pedestrians.

Results of further analysis, however, could allow the span to initially reopen to pedestrians and bicycles within a few weeks, the city added.

The city is in the process of replacing the entire truss bridge, with construction expected to begin in 2015 and reopen to traffic in late 2016.

Paul Walsh