Zakim Bridge architect pays to keep the lights on

If the architect truly wanted to help keep the lights glowing on the Zakim Bridge, he would have integrated a wind turbine or solar panels into the design. Failing to do so just sticks communities with never ending energy costs. Municipalities don't need short term solutions like a donation that covers three months of electricity costs. We need long term sustainable energy solutions that pay for themselves over time.

Im glad someone has enough $$$ to throw at lightbulbs.. What else is that guy doing with his $$?

Im glad someone has enough $$$ to throw at lightbulbs.. What else is that guy doing with his $$?

Why don't we relieve Alan LeBovidge of his duties and use his salary to keep the lights on? I think that would do more for Boston than his performance and comments. He puts the rat in bureauc rat.

The jump to this article says he wrote the check to the city which is totally wrong. Get it together boston.com the city and the Mass Turnpike are two totally different systems of government. How can you get that wrong. Seriously?

File this under: The right thing to do. Assuming you have the right combination of necessary cash and civic spirit, of course. This is a good thing for area tourism long-term. (Imagine coming to Boston and NOT seeing these lights; how might this impact your decision to return?). Hoping other deep-pocketed residents feel similarly, about this sign of area pride as well as other cultural improvement programs.

Lock up the State House and lay all the pols off. The state will have a budget surplus before long. Nobody to vote in new taxes would be the best thing for all of us.

"I’d like to have a sustainable solution.”

Do I hear Solar anyone?

I waited in traffic for a total of two + hours this weekend at tolls because they had one lane open each time I went through them and I have an EZ pass. The Mass Turnpike is a disgrace.

What a waste -- why not give the money to the T, they could make good use of it given the current situation.

Great, money contributed to carry on a wasteful cause. No end to ego!

Keep the lights out and use the money to pay some electric bills for some elderly folks. It's not a particularly good looking bridge anyway.

The solution is to fire the head of the MassPike.

Just turn the lights on!

leave the lights on and get rid of all the ridiculous pensions state workers have

Bully on Rosales! Nice gesture that won't soon be forgotten.

I like the bridge and all, but dude, give your money to a children's hospital or to a firefighters fund, or a school. They need the money more and it's a better cause than decorative lighting...

What if the City of Boston takes the architect's $15,000, turns off the lights on the Zakim bridge anyway, and instead spends the money on raises for department staff?

You would be outraged correct? Well that is exactly what our city, state, and federal governments have been doing for 20 years. Our politicians have been taking targeted taxes and spending them on everything but their inteneded infrastructure needs. Where is the outrage that we had to turn off the lights in the first place while we have billions in political FAT in our systems?

We can reverse OUR TAXATION CURSE by voting all these bimbos out of office. Time for a clean slate in 2010 and 2012.

What a very nice gesture for the City of Boston to beable to keep on of the main landmarks shinning bright.When visting Boston that is one of my favorite sites to see at night...Nice job Mr.Rosales!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am all for saving money, in fact I do it often, knowing that I cannot count on anyone else to make my future. I agree with other comments last week about those who say the Zakim Bridge lights should stay on.

Thank you Mr. Rosales. If the city wants to save money, shut off the lights when you go out the door in every building. Yeah city lights are nice. Tone it down though. I do at home. Why not wire landmarks so that one can turn off half the lights. Or, common sense notwithstanding, use energy efficient lighting on said landmarks. Do you use 'em at home? Probably. So why not in public places and on the nightscape?

I also went lights out for an hour this year, 2nd year running, for Earth Hour. I wrote to Earth Hour saying 1 hour is a start, but not good enough. "Not good enough" means what I said above, 'shut the lights off when you leave the office'.

Thank you, Mr. Rosales for your kind gesture.
For longterm solution, I think the idea of solar panels is great. A green technology company could get great PR designing and donating the panels.
Any takers?

Do people really think that tourist will be deciding not to come back because the bridge lights aren't on? The stupid bridge is only a few years old and does not make or break whether someone enjoyed their visit or not. Get over it we have much bigger problems than whether to keep the lights on on a stupid bridge. Maybe if they were more concerned with function then visual appeal they could have saved millions and have a beetter bridge. After all isn't the role of the bridge to carry traffic in a safe manner.

How about turning the lights off on those new huge billboards they just put up along the Leverett Connector

Thank you so much, Mr. Rosales! Being an architect, I know how you must felt about the lights being turned off. The Zakim bridge is such a work of art, its light is an integral part of its beauty, and this beautiful piece of urban sculpture is a light on the Boston landscape. Thank goodness it will not be dimmed!

Thank you Mr. Rosales. I too believe the bridge lights should be kept on. Perhaps the MTA could create a fund for those of us who wish to donate to keep this beautiful structure as it was meant to be. A fund should be created - RESTRICTED to the lighting of the Zakim bridge - it is clear the MTA can not be trusted. Beauty is a worthy cause. Thank you!

I'm an architect, so I know how Mr. Rosales must have felt to find the lights out on his work. We owe him thanks, not only for the lights, but the beautiful bridge that IS a light on the Boston landscape. The lights on this bridge are not a waste of money--they are an intergral part of our newest piece of urban sculpture. It uplifts us whenever we see it and its spirit soars. We need our spirits to soar right now. Entire office floors lit up at night--now THAT is a waste of money and energy.

I thank you too, Mr. Rosales for your kind gesture. I still think instead of giving pay raises (that the rest of us are NOT getting) to the BIG honchos of the city, it would have been taken care of with plenty to spare! Those HONCHOS have too much. Time for them to live like us peons....very sad

Oh that is so kind of him. I was heartbroken when I read the story a few days ago. That bridge just ISN"T the same without those lights! I mean, its beautiful but when its lit, its spectacular! Its one of the best things in Boston. Thank you so much - we really appreciate it!!!!

THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE IS A HUGE DISGRACE! Why don't we get rid of all of the do nothing no show jobs in this state. It is disgusting!

WHY WERE THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE? GOVERNMENT WASTE AND MISMANAGEMENT.

TIME FOR NEW LEADERSHIP...

The bridge concept was developed by Swiss civil engineer Christian Menn and its design was engineered by American civil engineer Ruchu Hsu with Parsons Brinckerhoff. Boston-based architect Miguel Rosales was the lead architect/urban designer and facilitated community participation during the design process. Neither Hsu nor Rosales served as the designer of record for the project. The engineer of record is HNTB/FIGG. The lead designer from HNTB was Theodore Zoli; and W. Denney Pate from FIGG.

Thank you Mr. Rosales. I do feel the lights on the Zakim bridge are part of the identity of Boston and this is a good thing for tourism longer term and does contribute to Boston's pride of art and culture. The Zakim bridge essentially is the largest art installation in Boston. I am thrilled that the lights will return as it gives me an excitement driving into our great city. I do hope we can look into a more sustainable solution for the blue lights (solar, wind to power the blue lights?) in the future. While there are some who wish the funds were spent for something they deem a better cause, I do agree with others that the blue lights are uplifting and our city and state needs some uplifting right now!

Thank you Mr. Rosales! (And shame on you Turnpike Authority - find another way to save a meager $5,000/month in your operating budget. Turning the lights out is a MAJOR political move, nothing more and nothing less....but I digress. Aesthetics of a where we live are an important part of life, and one that is often neglected in the U.S. Can we imagine that the Eiffel Tower being turned off to save money? C'mon...I for one do not want to live in a society where no dollars are earmarked for beautification of where we live. And yes, this costs money - but it is a more than worthy investment.

“My initial reaction is thank you,” said Alan LeBovidge, the executive director of the authority. “And assuming he’s an upstanding guy, and assuming there's no legal impediment not to take it, I’d say we need $45,000 more.”

Still, LeBovidge said he was not sure if he would use the gift to turn the lights back on for three months. “I don’t want to turn them on and turn them off and turn them on and turn them off,” LeBovidge said. “If we’re going to do something like that, I’d like to have a sustainable solution.”

So LeBovidge, if you are NOT going to use the money for what it was sent for, then send it back you greedy sob.

I am with Matt - let's get rid of LeBovidge

Sorry to get technical folks, but to be fair solar power won't cut it. Those lights use something on the order of 100kW (well over 1000 60W lights bulbs). To run them with solar, you would need an absurd amount of solar panels and then a huge battery. Its not economical, let alone practical.
(This is the same reason power companies discredit wind and solar. You have to use it when its there).

Those who criticize the contribution by Mr. Rosales make a compelling case for former Mass residents like myself who see the State becoming the laughing stock of the northeast surpassed only by Vermont. The voters in Mass. get exactly what they deserve.
" Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely"

I want to say thank you to Mr. Rosales. The Zakim Bridge is a treasure the city should display with pride. Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in this city and it shows what is truly possible when someone becomes innovative. Those lights MAKE the bridge even more breathtaking than it is during the daylight. There are many ways to save a few bucks.

This bridge is has become a new and beautiful landmark to the city of Boston. Shame on whomever okay'd this decision - the MTA should be able to come up with more creative cost-cutting solutions. And while we're at it, let's shut off the Citgo sign over Fenway Park, too!

I know Miguel personally and I have to say he is one of the nicest most giving people the city has in it He takes great pride in his work as well as in everything he does. Miguel thank you for your kind gift hopefully they will use it to keep the bridge you worked so hard for light.

Sorry I gave Mr. Rosales improper credit for designing the bridge. I'm not a name dropper when it comes to architects. For me, the work speaks. I just love the bridge. Thank you HNTB/FIGG--I stand corrected!

Keep the lights on!!!!! They are as much a symbol of Boston as the Pru and Hancock towers

They would be better off putting the money towards the salary of the mayor, or maybe they can plant a tree. Regardless, they should spend the money anyway they want.

This state is disgusting. It is the absolute worst state I have ever lived in and can not wait to leave.

Who dims the skyline anyway? Tourism is the only thing to counter balance the deficit caused by the frivolous spending of the idiots on Beacon Hill.

Will the last person to leave Boston please turn out the lights?

How about installing Zakim Bridge Light Toll down by the Garden. You swipe your credit card and for $14 you can look at the pretty lights for one hour. If twelve people do it per day that's a whole night's worth of light. Or you could install a webcam and set up zakimbridge-lighttoll.com with a paypal account and people from all around the world could keep it lit.

Firing Alan LeBovidge is the start of a sustainable solution. You wouldn't notice he was gone, and his salary would keep the lights on for almost a year.

Full disclosure: Alan LeBovidge's mismanagement of Route 90 this weekend and subsequent misinformation in the press influenced my comment.

He pays to keep the lights on my sweet butt!
HE SAID "THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL!"

Wind turbines are an ugly waste of money at the present time, and they would amount to placing a band aid on a gaping wound when compared with the amount of money that this state his hemorrhaging on a monthly basis.
Less turbine, more discretionary spending!

What a rediculous waste of money and pollution. So the "artist"s ego is hit
with the lights being turned off - big deal.

Keep the lights off.

They should power the bridge lights with all of the hot air that comes out of Beacon Hill and the Patrick administration. That otta keep the lights on for the next few hundred years.

Why don't we paint the bridge with Glow-in-the-dark paint like they do at Spooky World? That would be a one-time cost and make the bridge look way cooler.

Alan LeBovidge takes a $1 salary, and has a thankless job. I'd like to see someone else step up to run an agency that is chronically underfunded. The toll charges do not cover the increasing operating costs of running this piece of critical infrastructure. (To clarify, I don't work for any state or public agencies, I'm simply a local citizen who is interested in the infrastructure that makes our cities work!)

Thank you, Mr. Rosales. But for some reason I think your $15k will end up paying for gas for Mr. LeBovidges' MTA SUV.

In MIT Boston has perhaps the best technical university in existence. Why can't we use their collective expertise (or Northeastern or BU, etc) - in the form of a competition, or something - to develop a "sustainable" solution for keeping those lights on. The number of cars that pass over that bridge everyday must create some form of kinetic energy. There's got to be a way to capture some of it and store it in batteries.

Then you'd have a bridge that is not only a beautiful landmark for the city, but a model for technical innovation.

Although you've done enough Mr. Rosales, perhaps you can convince your fellow MIT alum to pursue this type of option. It's a win-win for all.

Bravo for Mr. Rosales. How sad that our society has become one where an architect has to pay for his own sky line creation to be lighted at night.

How about Alan LeBovidge resigning and donating his salary to lighting the bridge for the rest of the year. Sounds like a "sustainable" plan to me.

Next up Mayor Menino resigning and the BRA leadership for leaving that crator in downtown crossing due to mis-management and ignorance. He's the poster child of small mindedness and term limits.

I hope that citizens like Mr Rosales help come to the rescue of our historical city and save it from do-anything, say anything politicians. Also, let's start up a private fund to save the globe from the NY Times!

Mr. Rosales is an absolute IDIOT, and an egoist at best who was sad to see his pretty little bridge left behind in the dark. GROW UP!!! Of all the deserving charities that could benefit from the wasted $15000, this man chooses to light a bridge for three months. Is this absurd or what? At least a good number of the readers are smart enough to point out that a sustainable strategy employing renewable power would eventually pay for lighting the bridge without an impediment to the taxpayers.

Keep the lights off, and enjoy the true beauty of the bridge during the day time. It's the graceful but functional design that makes the bridge so spectacular, not the lights! Let's get back to appreciating what really makes something special -- the substance, not the sugar coating.

But if Mr. Rosales wants to use $15,000 to make a bridge-related impact, there are plenty of things he could do with it that would have an impact far longer than three months! For example, he could fund an architectural design class for kids who live near the bridge, or create a "living" replica of the bridge with vines and other plants, or start a campaign to get other lights in Boston dimmed as well so that city dwellers could appreciate the beauty of the stars at night...

well, should have thought of these expenses in planning phase... solar? wind? water? all available at the spot arent they?
energy is scarce these days or expensive if available...
the corruption of this department is not the issue here at all, and should be handeled seperately, through those who take of that, if they exist at all.

Cut the politicians' pensions by 50% and we'll have plenty for the Zakim lights, we can eliminate the tolls altogether and send Tax-em-all Deval away with all his bogus schemes. The biggest waste is on Beacon Hill.

I bought a condo across from the bridge because of the incredible view from my window....I'm glad the lights are on...that bridge is very ugly and scary looking without lights at night.
I agree with the posters that talk about readjusting the 'dead wood' pension workers....there's plenty of money, - if they would only not spend it on bottles of Cristall at government events!!!