Bay Bridge's 25,000 LED Light Display To Be Switched On

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A light sculpture made up of 25,000 LED lights strung along the western span of the Bay Bridge will be turned on Tuesday night after months of preparation.

Tuesday morning commuters got a sneak peek at the display as it was tested in the early morning hours.

The privately funded $8 million project known as "The Bay Lights" will be switched on at about 9 p.m. Tuesday following an invitation-only event in San Francisco, according to spokeswoman Barbara Zamost.

Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom were among the dignitaries expected to attend the event, as was artist Leo Villareal, who designed and oversaw the installation of the light sculpture and planned to turn it on from a computer, Zamost said.

The lights will not be visible to drivers on the Bay Bridge but can be seen from a distance. They are mounted on the vertical cables of the bridge and will be on for about seven hours each night, according to organizers.

The lights, which began being installed last fall, will remain on the bridge for two years.

Organizers were still trying to raise about $2 million in what Zamost called "finishing funds" for the project.

People can donate and also watch a webcast of Tuesday night's lighting ceremony on the project's website at www.thebaylights.org.

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