Timeframe Revealed for Memorial Bridge Illumination

Portsmouth-area residents and Memorial Bridge watchers who are wondering when the new span will be illuminated could see the lights turned on in October.

In a press release issued by Jennifer Zorn, a spokesperson for Memorial Bridge Illumination Subcommittee officials, LED lights will be installed sometime in October after brackets are designed to attach them away from the bridge structure.

"Currently, we are estimating the installation to be completed by late October with a shakeout period," said Jon Di Gesu, committee spokesperson, in a prepared statement. "The bridge lighting will be launched with 12 different lighting programs designed by our lighting designer John Powell and the Illumination Committee.

"LED lighting and Lumenpulse fixtures allow for a vast number of lighting color combinations. We are looking forward to seeing ‘lights on’ beginning sometime in early November with a lighting event for the public scheduled for later in the Fall."

Committee members and volunteers successfully raised the $180,000 needed to purchase the energy efficient LED lights earlier this year after Archer Western Contractors donated the final $50,000 needed.

According to Zorn, the energy-efficient, color-changing LED light fixtures have been received from Lumenpulse, the manufacturer of the lighting fixtures. She said the lighting designer later determined that specially designed brackets were needed to hold the fixtures away from the bridge structure. She said HNTB, the bridge designers, are currently designing the new brackets and once they area completed and certified, the brackets will be fabricated.