The Bay Area's nightscape may soon regain its sparkle as the group behind the Bay Bridge's iconic LED exhibition, The Bay Lights, is on the cusp of a financial breakthrough. According to SFist, the arts nonprofit Illuminate has nearly reached its $11 million fundraising mark, falling just a quarter of a million short of the target needed to relight the bridge—and not just one side, but both.

Last year, the 1.8-mile stretch of glimmering LEDs was extinguished due to the lack of maintenance funds required to withstand the punishing elements of the Bay's windy and saline environment. Illuminate has since then rallied to bring the lights back, not only restoring the former glory but doubling down on it with a whopping 50,000 lights anticipated to adorn the bridge. "It will represent San Francisco," Illuminate founder Ben Davis told KTVU. "It will be shown during every sporting event, every moment. It sort of takes our bridge, the Bay Bridge, and creates the nighttime equivalent of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is the world's bridge."

Fund-raising efforts through crowdfunding platforms have played a vital role in the comeback story, enticing over 1,200 contributors to open their wallets. The campaign is painting a rosy picture of a masterwork potentially returning with more magic than ever—one that'll be visible from much of San Francisco, on Treasure Island, and numerous East Bay communities.

However, once the coffers are full, patience will be key, as the installation process is expected to span about 10 months. But, for the City by the Bay, the wait could just be worth it. No stranger to a dramatic return, The Bay Lights shone again in time for the Super Bowl hosted in 2016, after a hiatus in 2015. And with any excess funds pledged to support other Illuminate.org projects, the larger-than-life light show seems poised, yet again, to light up not just a bridge but the collective imagination of the Bay Area.