The Bay Bridge Lights Are Returning

The Bay Lights installation on the Bay Bridge, as seen from San Francisco in 2013, was a site-specific monumental light sculpture and generative art installation. It spanned 1.8 miles along the western span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, commemorating the 75th anniversary of its opening. Designed by light artist Leo Villareal, it featured 25,000 individual white LEDs along the cables on the north side of the suspension span between Yerba Buena Island and San Francisco. The installation was controlled via a computer and displayed changing patterns that were not meant to repeat1.

Initially intended as a temporary installation, the Bay Lights project ended on March 5, 2015. However, it was re-installed as a longstanding feature of the Bay Bridge with permanent fixtures that were re-lit on January 30, 2016. After an extended run, the lights were turned off on March 5, 2023, due to harsh conditions on the bridge and in San Francisco Bay. Now, an $11 million fundraising effort is underway to bring back the lights, this time visible on both sides of the bridge, in late 2024 or early 202512.

The return of the Bay Lights will be a welcome sight for fans of this dazzling art installation. With nearly twice as many lights, it promises to once again illuminate the night sky and create a mesmerizing spectacle for all to enjoy.