The popular lighting installation along the western span of the Bay Bridge is coming back, with a “grand lighting” event planned for next month. The lights illuminated the northern side of the span for 10 years until wear-and-tear led to their removal in 2023. The new installation was crea ted by light artist Leo Villareal, organized by San Francisco-based nonprofit Illuminate and engineered and fabricated by Musco Lighting. “The Bay Lights” features 48,000 LEDs built to withstand the bridge’s “demanding marine environment,” according to organizers. “They’re a reminder that beauty can live at the scale of infrastructure — and that awe can be part of a city’s identity,” said Ben Davis, founder of Illuminate. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called the lights “an iconic symbol of San Francisco and the entire Bay Area.” The March 20 lighting event will debut the north-facing installation and a second phase of the project — which will be visible from other parts of the region — is planned for a future date. The $11 million project was funded entirely through private donations, with more than 1,300 people contributing to the effort, organizers said Thursday. ...read more read less