Beautiful day ushers in huge crowds on Stone Arch Bridge ahead of closure

Stone Arch Bridge partially closing Monday

Construction season in Minnesota is starting, with the Minnesota Department of Transportation announcing nearly 200 construction projects, one of the biggest being the closure of the Stone Arch Bridge. FOX 9's Courtney Godfrey has more.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Beautiful spring weather welcomed huge crowds along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis on Sunday, as pedestrians enjoyed the Stone Arch Bridge ahead of a two-year closure.

The iconic Minneapolis landmark is set to undergo major repairs over the next two years, forcing its partial closure.

"It's going to be sad to not be able to use it for a while," said cyclist Kent Furois. "I’m used to being able to access this any old day, so it's going to take some planning to figure out the best route to get over the river."

The first phase of closures starts on the St. Anthony Main entrance of the bridge. Pedestrians will still be able to access part of the bridge from the other side.

"It's sad for me personally, but it's good for the bridge. We want the bridge to be around for a long time," said street musician Clawhammer Mike.

Mike said he’s been sitting on the northeast side of the bridge several days a week for three years. He said he’s still not sure where he’ll perform once the bridge is closed, but he does plan to return when it re-opens.

"I look forward to coming back here in two years," he said.

The closure starts at 5 a.m. Monday April 15.

People can take the newly restored 3rd avenue bridge as a detour. According to MnDOT, there are barriers in place to protect pedestrians.