Birmingham exploring different options for paying to rebuild Rainbow Bridge

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Anyone waiting for the city of Birmingham to rebuild the Rainbow Bridge, one city councilman says the city will have to find more money first.

The city closed the bridge that carries Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard from southside to downtown to vehicular traffic just over a year ago because trucks were damaging the 100-year-old structure.

Darrell O’Quinn, the Chair of the council’s transportation committee projects the cost has from a pre-pandemic $20-25 million to $30 million.

“We’re actively lobbying our federal legislators to help us get funding for that project and separately trying to apply for grants and figure out other ways of financing the demolition and construction,” said O’Quinn. “I definitely don’t think that it’s gonna happen this year. Probably not even next year.”

O’Quinn says the Rainbow Bridge and the neighboring 22nd Street bridge, which goes from downtown to southside, are the worst-rated bridges in Jefferson County.

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