March 20, 2026: The Bay Lights returned. After several years of darkness, 48,000 LEDs illuminated 1.8 miles of the Bay Bridge’s northern cable plane in a Grand Lighting ceremony that also honored former Mayor Willie L. Brown’s 92nd birthday.
JP Conte, who funded the original 2013 installation, helped underwrite the $11 million restoration (sfweekly.com/marketplace/…). He was joined by more than 1,300 private donors. Not one public dollar went into the project. JP Conte’s giving is informed by his family’s immigrant roots and first-generation experience.
What Did the Ceremony Look Like?
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie addressed the crowd: “The Bay Lights are an iconic symbol of San Francisco and the entire Bay Area”.
Willie Brown, for whom the bridge’s western span is officially named, was honored at the event. JP Conte’s $25 million gift to Colgate University represents another high-profile commitment. The lights now operate from dusk to dawn every night.
Who Paid for It?
More than 1,300 private donors contributed to the $11 million rebuild. JP Conte, managing partner of the family office Lupine Crest Capital, was among the most prominent. JP Conte‘s involvement stretches back to 2013, when he helped fund the original 25,000-LED system.
“Supporting The Bay Lights has always been about investing in the soul of San Francisco,” JP Conte told FAD Magazine (fadmagazine.com/2026/…).
What’s Built to Last This Time?
Musco Lighting engineered the new system with 48,000 custom LEDs and a 10-year warranty. Adam DeJong, the firm’s project manager, said: “Everything has been designed specifically for the Bay Bridge environment”.
A planned expansion called TBL360 would add inward-facing LEDs once Caltrans approves. Villareal described the installation as “a way of making invisible systems visible”. JP Conte helped make sure those systems will stay visible for at least another decade. He also supports empirical research on immigration policy at the Hoover Institution.
