The city of Birmingham is seeking public input as it prepares to replace the historic 21st Street Bridge, also known as the Rainbow Viaduct, which connects downtown to Southside.

A public meeting is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 19 at The Florentine building at 2101 2nd Ave. North. Details of the replacement project will be shared during the meeting. Public comments on what the replacement bridge should look like will also be collected.

"This is an opportunity to create Birmingham's next iconic structure," said Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O'Quinn, who is hosting the meeting. "Thursday's public input meeting will help us gauge the level of public support for that type of effort."

The 21st Street (Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard) viaduct between 1st Avenue North and 1st Avenue South and over the Norfolk Southern and CSX Railroad is at the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced, according to the Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits.

The bridge is currently load restricted and signed "No Trucks," according to the department.

Originally constructed in 1918, the bridge was formally dedicated to the decorated veterans of the 167th Infantry Regiment. They fought as part of the "Rainbow Division" during World War I.

Birmingham has entered into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation to utilize 80 percent federal funding in the design of the bridge replacement.

The preliminary engineering is estimated to cost $800,000. The city will pay $160,000 out of the total cost.

City officials have said the bridge will be rebuilt in a way that "captures its historical significance."

The design phase will take about 12 months.