After Three Years Dark, Bay Bridge’s ‘Bay Lights’ Return March 20, 2026
After nearly three years of darkness, The Bay Lights are officially set to return to the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with a Grand Lighting scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2026.
Arts nonprofit Illuminate just announced that the 1.8-mile installation by light artist Leo Villareal has been fully rebuilt and will once again illuminate the bridge nightly from dusk to dawn. The original Bay Lights debuted in 2013 and ran for nearly a decade before shutting down in March 2023 after prolonged exposure to wind, salt air, moisture and vibration caused widespread system failures. Rather than attempt incremental repairs, organizers opted for a complete replacement engineered specifically for the Bay’s harsh marine environment.
The new installation features 48,000 custom-engineered LEDs mounted along the northern cable plane of the bridge’s western span. The system was engineered and fabricated by Musco Lighting and is designed for long-term durability, with a 10-year warranty. Installation has been underway in recent weeks, with Caltrans confirming overnight lane closures as crews mounted lighting equipment along the cables.
Earlier reports referred to an expanded concept called “Bay Lights 360,” which would add inward-facing LEDs to increase visibility from additional Bay Area communities. Illuminate now confirms that this expanded phase, officially called TBL360, will launch separately following final safety testing and agency review. The March 20 Grand Lighting will feature the primary north-facing installation, the view most associated with the original artwork.
The relighting date coincides with the 92nd birthday of Willie L. Brown, the former San Francisco mayor for whom the bridge’s western span is formally named and a longtime supporter of the project. The ceremony will be broadcast live on social media, with additional public viewing details expected in the coming weeks.
The $11 million rebuild was funded entirely through private philanthropy and grassroots support, with more than 1,300 contributors and no public funding. When the system switches back on in March, the Bay Bridge will once again serve as a nightly canvas of choreographed white light, restoring one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable features to the skyline.
View this post on Instagram
Related Stories:
SF’s “Bay Lights” to Finally Return in March 2026 w/ Twice the Glow – 5/2/2024
The Bay Lights Are Coming Back in Spring 2025 (w/ Twice as Many Lights) – 5/2/2024
SF’s “Bay Lights” Coming Back in 2025 w/ 50,000 New Lights – 2/12/2024
SF’s Bay Bridge “Bay Lights” to Go Dark Unless $11 Million is Raised – 1/10/2023
