About Us

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     In 1986 Commissioners Pauline Anderson (Multnomah County) and Mike Lindberg (City of Portland) called a meeting to talk about enhancing the bridges that span the Willamette River as it flows northward through Portland. The first suggestion, paint the Hawthorne Bridge indigo, got no support. The next idea spawned the non-profit Willamette Light Brigade (WLB).

     WLB’s adopted as its mission to add lights to enhance the architectural features of the 10 bridges used by vehicular traffic. WLB’s goals: Light one bridge each year. Pay for the lighting systems with private funds.

    The first step toward both goals began when the National Electrical Contractors Assoc. (NECA) and local members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) approached WLB with an offer to light the Morrison Bridge. WLB accepted with enthusiasm. On December 12, 1987 at a grand public celebration (including caroling), colorful lights were first beamed on the piers of that mid-town bascule bridge.

     Then in the spring of 1989 Portland General Electric (PGE) proposed lighting the Hawthorne Bridge to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first transmission of electricity to Portland (June 2, 1889 from Oregon City via the Hawthorne Bridge). As a "contribution to the community" PGE stockholders offered to fund a temporary outlining of the bridge's arches, towers and railings. WLB was happy to assist PGE with this "fairy lights" project --- 8,000 1.65-watt "beads" in clear plastic 20-ft. long tubes filled with silicon gel. This was actually the 2nd set of decorative lights for the Hawthorne (go to 'Bridges'--Hawthorne--for more of its history). After several years the bridge’s vibrations took their toll on the bead lights and the celebratory strands were removed.

     In 1996, to increase Portlanders' awareness of their bridges and opportunities for enjoyable urban cycling, WLB helped organize the first Portland Bridge Pedal. This event offers folks of all ages the chance to cycle across eight Willamette River bridges on lanes closed to vehicular traffic. This 2d-Sunday-of-August event (owned thereafter by the for-profit Bridge Pedal, Inc.) has become one of the largest bridge-biking events in the USA.

     From 1997 through 2003 WLB was a beneficiary of the Bridge Pedal Inc. event, receiving a small percentage of each year’s registration fees and BPI t-shirt sales. Also, WLB volunteers staffed a booth at the event to sell commemorative posters and long-sleeved t-shirts designed by Richard Malloy and produced by ErrolGraphics. These Bridge Pedal proceeds and other private donations have allowed WLB to cover overhead and initiate lighting projects.

   (Go to ''Shop'' to see these & other bridge art items.)