Since Hurricane Ida, the decorative lights atop the superstructure of the Crescent City Connection have been dark. The hurricane dealt the final blow to a light system that had been deteriorating with age since first being installed in 1987.
Faced with rebuilding a now-outdated electrical system or designing something new, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has hired the firm of Modjeski and Masters, Inc., to design a new decorative lighting system worthy of the bridge's namesake city.
"As a child, I watched the construction of the second span of the Crescent City Connection bridge, an iconic symbol of New Orleans that has lost its ability to reflect against the night sky," said DoTD secretary Shawn Wilson. "As one of my last actions as secretary, I am proud to initiate new LED technology that will allow us to showcase the bridge like never before, while at the same time moving to a technology that uses a fraction of the energy to run. Equally important, working with New Orleans & Company and the convention and tourism industry, we are introducing a new model of sustainable operations."
DoTD officials say this design phase is the fifth part of a six-part process. The final part, construction, is scheduled to be let later this year, with completion anticipated in 2024.
"This is a new chapter for the bridge," said DoTD spokesman Daniel Gitlin. "The image of the bridge itself is as powerful an image as Jackson Square or the Superdome."
Like the Superdome, DoTD officials have in mind a programmable, LED system capable of projecting lights up the sides of the cantilevered superstructure of the bridge, changing colors that "reflect the mood of the city on that day," as Gitlin put it.
"The lighting of the trusses is a powerful image known across the world, especially for holidays, sporting events, and the many festivals hosted in the city," said Wilson. "It’s time to illuminate the New Orleans sky again so residents, businesses, and visitors can appreciate the beauty of the Crescent City Connection and the character of New Orleans."
