PANYNJ Lights Up George Washington Bridge’s Towers for Sail250

[By Port Authority]

Ahead of America’s 250th birthday next weekend, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will hold a ceremonial lighting and announce that effective immediately, it will permanently light the George Washington Bridge’s two towers every night from dusk to 10 p.m. The bridge’s towers have never been lit nightly since it was built in 1927 and opened to traffic in 1931. The ceremonial lighting by Executive Director Kathryn Garcia will occur at 9 p.m. today, June 29.

The 94-year-old bridge will be the backdrop of the national America250 celebrations for Sail4th, a parade of the world’s largest fleet of magnificent tall ships and a Naval review of international warships, that will sail from the Verrazano Narrows through New York Harbor and up the Hudson River toward the George Washington Bridge, where the ships will turn south.

The iconic bridge was the world’s longest main bridge span when it opened and remains a feat of engineering copied and studied around the world. It was the first bridge in the region to fully convert to all LED lightbulbs for its cable lights in 2009. Nearly 800 traditional bulbs were installed on the New York and New Jersey towers in 2000, and all have now been replaced with LED bulbs, providing a 40 percent reduction in cost and energy usage.