The Willamette Light Brigade is embarking on an ambitious initiative to light Portland’s bridges as an art- and tech-based placemaking gesture that would reinvigorate the city’s skyline and waterfront. Portland’s bridges have always been an iconic part of the city’s identity, and lighting the bridges would offer a renewed experience of the Central City for residents, businesses, tourism, and future developments.
A comprehensive Bridge Lighting strategy will place Portland on a national stage for light-based placemaking, and amplify the city’s brand as a leader in technology and creativity. Illuminating Portland’s bridges with dynamic, color-changing lights would offer future engagement opportunities with causes and events important to Portlanders such as sporting events, tourism events, and downtown activation.
In the mid-80s, the Willamette Light Brigade was established to light the bridges of Portland to create a sense of civic pride and a united sense of place. This intention is more relevant than ever before, and Portland is well-positioned to embark on a bold gesture that enhances the city’s identity and provides a canvas for visual public dialogue for years to come. The future of Portland includes a dynamic, well-utilized waterfront.
The Illuminate Bridge City project will have two phases. The first is a comprehensive master planning phase that sets the course for multiple years of bridge lighting. The second is the lighting of the first bridge and planning for successive bridge lighting over three to eight years.
For more information or to get involved with Illuminate Bridge City, email [email protected].
Illumination Partner
Bridge Lighting Sponsors
