Bay Bridge 'Bay Lights' to Return in March

- The original installation, created by artist Leo Villareal, first debuted on March 5, 2013, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the bridge's opening. It consisted of 25,000 white LEDs and initially cost $8 million, raised entirely through private donations. - The lights were turned off on March 5, 2023, exactly ten years after their debut, because the harsh marine environment of wind, salt air, and vibration caused widespread system failures that were too costly to repair incrementally. - The new, more robust system was engineered and fabricated by Musco Lighting to specifically withstand the bridge's environmental challenges, including wind loads, salt air, and vibration. This new version features 48,000 custom LEDs, nearly double the original number. - The non-profit organization Illuminate led the $11 million fundraising campaign, securing the entire amount through private philanthropy from over 1,300 contributors without any public funding. - The artist, Leo Villareal, uses computer algorithms to generate the never-repeating, abstract patterns displayed by the lights, which are inspired by the water, traffic, and weather patterns of the Bay. - The relighting date, March 20, was chosen to coincide with the 92nd birthday of former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, for whom the western span of the bridge is formally named. - A planned second phase, sometimes referred to as 'Bay Lights 360', aims to add more lights to make the installation visible from more communities around the bay, including Treasure Island, Oakland, and Berkeley.