"Bay Lights" -- the giant illuminated art installation on the Bay Bridge -- will go dark in March unless deep-pocketed philanthropists step forward.

After 10 years, the installation is a bit like San Francisco itself: a great idea with a glowing past that's worn out, broken in parts and increasingly expensive to fix. Once you notice the display's bald patches where long stretches of lights have failed, you realize that the installation needs a refresh.

Brutal!

If he can raise $1 million apiece from 10 wealthy people -- one has committed so far -- plus another $1 million in small donations, he intends to spearhead a new installation. It would illuminate the bridge again by Labor Day weekend with twice as many lights, and they'd be far sturdier. [...]

"Bay Lights" opened in March 2013 as a temporary sculpture, but was made permanent in 2015 -- or as permanent as equipment on a busy bridge can be. Davis acknowledged he expected the lights to last longer than they did.

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