New Bay Bridge lights being tested, just weeks away from full comeback

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Bay Bridge lights are back - almost.

The familiar, dazzling sight lit up the Bay Thursday night as crews were running tests on the light display. The full installation is just weeks away as the iconic lights are set to make a comeback.

"Over the next few months, people will see the bridge flickering here and there as we really work to make sure it works perfectly, but also for the artists to fine-tune the beauty that he's making," said Ben Davis, founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Illuminate, the arts nonprofit behind the project.

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The original Bay Lights went up in 2013, and 10 years later, they went dark. At the time, Illuminate said the cost of maintaining the lights was unsustainable, but this time around they're stepping it up.

"These lights were made by an amazing American company willing to take on the challenge to not just think about making sure they're durable, but to build them and ensure that they'll work well for 10 years," said Davis. "They're now passing chunks of the bridge as it's available over to the artists' team, and artist Leo Villareal, who is doing some pixel map testing right now and making sure everything is firing."

"I am thrilled to hear that they're coming back. I've missed them. That's so cool," said Grace Truman, a San Francisco resident. "I am a new commuter to Alameda from the city, and I feel like having the lights back will just make it even more magical and lovely, and I feel like we could all use a little sparkle in our day."

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The project is expected to be complete sometime in March, with an exact date to be announced as early as next week.

"The Bay Lights from end to end is an expression of just pure generosity and gratitude," said Davis. "We raised $11 million entirely through private philanthropy to bring this artwork back into bear. And there are over 1,300 people in total who gave to that."

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