Beijing’s Bali Bridge, which was built in 1446, will no longer be used for regular traffic by the end of 2018, leaving commuters to utilize a new bridge that is currently set to open at the end of the year, the Beijing News reported.

The historic stone bridge will have its asphalt cleared and restored to be used only by tourists, while the area’s new arch bridge, located 152 meters west, will boast twice the traffic capacity as its predecessor.

The Bali Bridge is located on the northeast side of the Ba Liqiao Station on the Batang Line of the Metro and spans the entirety of the Tonghui River. The bridge is over 100 meters in length.

When Bali Bridge was completed in 1446 during the Ming Dynasty, it was originally named Yongtong Bridge. In 2013, it was listed as a monument on the Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Over the years, the Bali Bridge sustained severe damage due to weathering, daily traffic, and being incompatible for modern traffic use.

The on-site staff announced that the new bridge will accommodate two-way traffic across six lanes. Four of the lanes, measuring 3.5 meters wide, will be for motor vehicles and the other two lanes, measuring three meters wide, will be for non-motorized vehicles. The bridge will also have three meters of sidewalk space on each side for pedestrians.

The Bali Bridge repair program is currently in the preparation stage. As a national monument, the Bali Bridge’s repair plan will be submitted to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for approval. Since the bridge is still being used, there has been minor difficulties in testing for the plan.

It is expected that the repairs on the Bali Bridge will begin halfway through 2019.