JTA tests new lights on Acosta Bridge; project on track for completion next summer

The Acosta Bridge over the St. Johns River will be a lot brighter in the near future.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority conducted a color and brightness test for new LED lights last night after the JTA Board of Directors approved $2.6 million for the project in December.

“We have always expected this project to wrap up in summer 2020, but I think we would like to have it ready for the Fourth of July celebration,” says David Cawton, a spokesman for JTA.

Cawton says the lights can do so many different things that they should really add an extra element to any fireworks display over the river.

He says a lot of people will remember the blue lights that were installed on the bridge in the 1990s, but those went dim in 2014. Cawton says he thinks the new ones will be a lot more impressive than what was on the bridge in the past.

“These lights are all different colors,” he say. “That’s the great thing about the LED lights is you can program them to fluctuate from blue to red to green, maybe even teal during Jaguar games.”

The LED lights are also more energy efficient and cool to the touch, Cawton says.

Last night was the first of many tests, so don’t be surprised if you see the bridge light up sometimes over the next several months as JTA works to fine-tune the project.