The Bay Bridge lights display that went dark last March is set to shimmer again starting next year.
Thanks to more than $10 million in private funding, nonprofit Illuminate said Thursday the 1.8-mile-long Bay Lights installation is slated to be turned back on in early spring 2025.
"The Bay Lights have created magic in our City, and it is fantastic news that this project will have renewed life spanning our beautiful bay," San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement. "This city is experiencing a resurgence of joy, and organizations like Illuminate and projects like The Bay Lights are helping to enliven our city and inspire our residents and visitors. I want to thank Illuminate for their work to lift up our city, as well as all the philanthropists who helped to make this project a reality."
Illuminate said the $10 million in private funding came in the form of gifts ranging in amount from $1 to $1 million. The nonprofit did not accept city funding nor corporate sponsorship support for the installation's revival.
The final $1 million needed for the $11 million project is being raised via a crowdfunding campaign, the nonprofit said.
"We salute the Bay Area philanthropists – big and small – who joined in this important effort," Illuminate CEO and Chief Visionary Officer Ben Davis said in a statement. "There’s been a hole in San Francisco since we turned off the lights last March. We are thrilled to announce their return."
The new display will feature roughly 50,000 LED lights – twice as many as the original installation – and will be visible from both sides of the bridge's western span.
Work is also underway to potentially make the lights visible to motorists on the bridge as they make their way into San Francisco, Illuminate said.
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