Bay Bridge Lights may go down in the city

By Hoorain Farooq ’25

The glittering lights on the Bay Bridge, a treasure to the Bay Area, could possibly disappear forever on March 5, unless funds are raised to cover the $11 million cost for the reconstruction of the lights.

Because of the severe weather conditions and vibrations from cars driving on the Bay Bridge, the technology used for the Bay Bridge Lights is falling apart at a fast rate. In many areas across the bridge, the lights have started to dim.

The only way to rescue the Bay Lights is through replacing them with newer and more durable lights.

To many Bay Area residents, the Bay Bridge Lights hold great value in the form of special memories.

When they were installed 10 years ago, they were supposed to be temporary, but were so popular that the City decided to make them a permanent fixture.

Hayley Tran ’25 said, “There’s been so many fun times just looking at the lights from afar, or driving on the bridge with my family and admiring them, so it will be sad to see them gone.”

The lights are expected to be shut down in a few weeks, leaving many hoping for a replacement.

Ben Davis, the founder of Illuminate, and the person who came up with the original idea of installing the Bay Lights, has an idea to repair the fading lights. He plans to install a custom LED system, and draw up a 10 year maintenance contract for the upkeep of the new lights.

Davis hopes — and needs — to raise $11 million in order to install new lights across the Bay Bridge.

As of Jan. 11, he had raised just over $1 million for his fund, far short of the goal as the deadline looms.

The new installation would include the lights on not just the North cables, but the South cables as well, making them newly visible to areas such as southern parts of San Francisco, Oakland, and Alameda. The new lights would be longer lasting and brighter than ever before. If Illuminate receives $10 million more, the Bay Bridge will be twinkling with lights again by Labor Day weekend.