It's going to take $4 million to keep a constantly changing light display on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge made up of 25,000 LED lights from ending its two-year run early next year.
If the creators of "Bay Lights'' can raise the money by Dec. 31, the display might be around well into the future, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. That's because bridge officials are working with the nonprofit that conceived the display, Illuminate the Arts, on an agreement that would see an upgraded version of the lights reinstalled and have bridge officials manage them from then out.
"Nobody is using the word permanent, but we'd like to see the 'Bay Lights; become a long-term installation,'' said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Bay Area Toll Authority.
Goodwin said the agreement that is being crafted basically says, "Hey, the 'Bay Lights' are cool."
The $8 million display by artist Leo Villareal was privately funded and debuted in March 2013. The lights are attached to 300 suspender cables on one side of the bridge's western span. They are programmed to constantly change patterns.
They are scheduled to be dismantled beginning March 6 and efforts to raise money for a long-term installation have not been successful.
Ben Davis, who heads Illuminate the Arts, said the group is now focusing on attracting larger donors.
"We're going to need the generosity of people coming in big, while still connecting with people who want to give at a smaller level,'' he said.
