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It took $2.4. million and five months to install, but a new energy-efficient lighting system is now officially illuminating the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez made the announcement about the "glow up" last week, explaining that the landmark now boasts a total of 56 new lights as part of efforts to preserve it.
“Everyone loves a good new year’s ‘glow up,’ and thanks to our new energy efficient LED lighting system, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge will shine bright for all New Yorkers to enjoy,” Rodriguez said in an official statement. “One of NYC DOT’s most cherished responsibilities is maintaining ‘America’s Eiffel Tower,’ and these new lights will showcase its beauty for decades to come.”
According to an official press release, the system is expected to last a full 20 years and it is part of a bigger, four-year-long revamp of the landmark that is projected to cost $300 million.
The aim of the project is “to meticulously scrub decades of harmful dirt and soot from every stone on the bridge, restore the mortar between each stone, and return the bridge’s famous towers to their original light gray color,” reads the press release.
Considering that an estimated 120,000 vehicles, 30,000 pedestrians and 4,000 cyclists use the bridge daily, the renovation is a big deal.
Add to it the fact that the passageway has become emblematic of the city it calls home and you've got yourself an even more exciting development.
A bit of history: construction on the Brooklyn Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world when it first debuted, kicked off in January of 1869 and wrapped up on May 24, 1883. It cost a total of $15 million to build.
Fun fact: back then, the structure also featured trolley service.
As part of the major bridge restoration that the city is carrying forward, Mayor Eric Adams had previously announced the debut of a new public space under the Manhattan side of the landmark.
Dubbed The Arches, the new public park opened just in time for the Brooklyn Bridge's 140th birthday just last year, boasting public seating, basketball courts, pickleball areas and shuffleboard playing opportunities.
Clearly, the destination deserves its status as a landmark.