But efforts continue behind the scenes to try to keep the lights "on"
The 252 decorative lights on the Crescent City Connection, first turned on in the summer of 1989, have been turned off.
The state Department of Transportation has said because of a lack of funds it can no longer pay for the decorative lighting, but safety lighting on the bridge will continue.
The Young Leadership Council (YLC) has offered to pay the decorative light bill temporarily, but state Rep. Austin Badon of New Orleans says that "the Department of Transportation can't enter into a contractual obligation with the Young Leadership Council because the YLC is not a local municipality."
Badon says the offer by the YLC would have to be made to an entity like the city of New Orleans or the Regional Planning Commission, and then that entity would request DOTD to keep the lights on.
The state has said it costs around $60,000 a year to maintain the lights and power the bulbs.
DOTD says safety lighting of the bridges will not be affected.
