SAN FRANCISCO—Three years ago on March 5, 2023, the lights on San Francisco’s Bay Bridge were turned off because of corrosion from the San Francisco Bay weather and maintenance challenges from its operation.
From 2024 to 2025, the nonprofit, Illuminatie. helped raise $11 million through private philanthropy and grassroots support from over 1,300 donors to fund a full rebuild.
From January to February, crews conducted overnight lane closures to install the new lighting equipment along the bridge’s cables.
On Friday, March 20, the grand lighting ceremony was officiated along Embarcadero, including a countdown. Artist Leo Villareal and Ben Davis founder of Illuminate, officially relighted the Bay Bridge’s lights, now known as Bay Lights 360, for the first time in three years.
For the first time, it features new, durable 48,000 LEDs on the western span’s north cable plane that will get driver safely home, creating an ‘art portal’ into the city. The Phase I of the art display is facing north towards the San Francisco waterfront and can be viewed from dusk to dawn.
The upcoming Phase II is inward-facing lights, which will complete the 360 effect called Bay Lights 360. It is currently undergoing safety testing with traffic engineers. Once approved, it will become activated, ensuring they do not distract drivers. The new system, which was installed by Musco Lighting, has a 10-year warranty.
