Lighting of the Bridges

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 8:47 am

Can anyone find any correct information on when this is going to happen. Accoring to Channel 5 and the KC Star, they say it's tomorrow night. But someone I know who is attending the actual ceremony, says it's tonight. Has anyone seen any official word anywhere?

zonk · Post by **zonk** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 8:55 am

tonights a special sneek-preview for local dignitaries...it may just be the Broadway bridge...Sat. night is the official lighting...all three bridges.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 8:57 am

Darn Hoity-toities.

zonk · Post by **zonk** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:12 am

Yep....doesn't mean we can't enjoy as well. Find a good viewing location and grab a couple of pints.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:19 am

And miss out on Independence Day at Crown Center??? You're NUTS!

Missionite · Post by **Missionite** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 7:08 pm

According to the official schedule at www.journey4th.org, it states that there will be a laser show at 10:00 p.m. on the 3rd and the bridge lighting will take place afterwards. I hope to go to the events on the 4th...which is the laser show and the fireworks.

Matt

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 11:33 pm

Well, the new schedules that appeared today listing the bridge lighting as the 3rd (instead of the 2nd as on all previous schedules I had seen) are obviously full of crap since they're all on tonight.

I knew it was the 2nd.

They look great! I was not able to be down here when they came on, but I drove back in from the north about half an hour ago and it was a beautiful sight to see.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 10:04 am

None were on when I got home around 1:00.

DiggityDawg · Post by **DiggityDawg** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 10:57 am

They weren't on when I was driving home from 11:35-Midnight, either.

sethyg · Post by **sethyg** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 11:08 am

I did see pics of them in today's star... the Broadway Bridge looked gold. Must've been the high quality of newspaper photos.

Post by **dangerboy** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 11:10 am

Last night was just a preview for people that donated money to the lighting project. Tonight is when they are turned on permanentely

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:48 pm

Oddly, while it's the most simple of the three, I'd have to say that for the moment the Heart of America is my favorite. I like it because it lights up the water underneath the bridge.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 3:34 pm

sethyg wrote:I did see pics of them in today's star... the Broadway Bridge looked gold. Must've been the high quality of newspaper photos.

The Broadway looked so good because the skyline was in the background. Broadway, lit or not, looks great attached to the skyline.

supastudio · Post by **supastudio** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:07 am

Took some pix of the bridges... Sorry, no Paseo bridge

http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/kcforum/vi ... php?t=3169

Missionite · Post by **Missionite** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:24 am

Just got back from Berkley and saw the bridges. I must say, the Paseo bridge looks awesome all lit up in blue. The entire thing is just shrowded in dark blue. The beacons of light also are a nice touch. They change colors from red to blue to white every now and then. When I saw the concept art for the bridge with the beacons, I wasn't too satisfied. However, seeing it in person...it's wonderful.

I only caught a glimpse of Broadway coming home and I figured it would be red...it's really more of an orange. Nevertheless, it's also very nice and is a stark contrast from the silver paintjob that shines during the day.

As for the HOA bridge...it's not much. The lights are white (for the 4th). Hopefully, they'll change it over to the originally planned green lights after the 4th. Maybe I'll change my mind on it then. But, until then, it's not enough in my mind and I personally think a little more could've been done with it. The Paseo makes up for it though. Very nice!!

On a side note...for those planning on attending the event tomorrow, I really wasn't too impressed with the laser show. It looked kind of cheesy and getting a spot to view it wasn't easy. Oh, and the inflatable screen...it collapsed earlier in the evening and they had to re-inflate it. Want a decent laser show with pretty much the same stuff (minus the shots of KC from the CVB)? Check out Worlds of Fun's nightly laser show.

Did I say how much I liked the Paseo?

Matt

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:53 am

I was expecting he lighting tonight to be sudden and dramatic, instead they came on very gradually. So gradually that for a minute the people I was watching with weren't sure if they were really coming on at all.

It makes sense though, it'd probably be a traffic hazzard to suddenly turn them on all the way.

supastudio · Post by **supastudio** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 1:39 am

Thats what I was expecting too... A bunch of fireworks and then all the bridges light up, like a crescendo. The laser show was cheesy, but I didn't mind it. I was disappointed that no one was watching the blow up screen. When it started to deflate, it took all the attention away from Spirit Dancer Dennis Rogers, on stage. So unprofessional.

Xpatriate · Post by **Xpatriate** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:52 am

I, too, was present at tonight's event, and I must say that this project was worth the wait! 3 dramatic new gateways into downtown! Concerning the bridges:

I liked Broadway, but to be honest, I expected a deeper, brighter red--it does look like a rather muted red-orange--still very cool though.

I was very pleasantly surprised with HOA. When I looked at the concept drawings, I thought the lighting scheme would be very boring, but it actually turned out very well, I think. As mentioned in a preceding post, it REALLY lights up the river below, and therefore, adds a lot to the area. I will be glad, though, when they put up some green lights to mix with the white--that is what they're intending to do, correct?

Paseo is, by far, my favorite. That particular hue is very, very beautiful in the way it glows softly against the night sky. Driving back home across the Paseo was awesome, and a bit dangerous, as I spent more time looking up than straight ahead. I really like the "spotlights" shooting up the sides of the towers, and into the sky, as well. GREAT JOB KANSAS CITY!!!

As for the lasers, etc., I wasn't really impressed. I pictured some sort of display in which beams were shot across the river, or into the sky, or something. What materialized was much, much less.

On a side note, I was irritated at what transpired following the lighting...everyone immediately packed up and went home! What the...?! I went with a buddy of mine from Armenia, and he couldn't believe it, either. He told me--and it's so true--that if we'd been in Armenia (or anywhere in Europe), the bridge lighting would've been the beginning of the REAL party, not the culmination! I totally agree, too. This would have been a perfect excuse to throw an all nighter on the riverfront, would it not? I would LOVE to have seen tonight's entertainment serve as simply a warm-up to the flipping of the switches--after which, things would've kicked into high gear, with different stages set up all along the riverfront featuring various kinds of music--JAZZ, of course; COUNTRY, for the mullet demographic; TRANCE/HOUSE for a brilliant tribal, aural frenzy (this is where I'd be the whole night, personally); and whatever other varieties would've proven appropriate.

Tonight's sudden mass departure reminded me of a KC Star column last November, in which the reporter made similar complaints about the Plaza lighting ceremony, immediately after which--every year--tens of thousands simply evaporate into the night, homeward bound. 70 years ago, this town was notorious for its appetite and stamina when it came to having a good time. I think it's time KC rediscovers some of its wild ways of decades past, and puts on its "dancin' shoes" again.

Sorry if this last bit was off-topic; I just would've liked to have had the opportunity to taste a little transcendence, dancing 'til dawn beneath a glowing, giant blue bridge. OK I need sleep now.

The lights, though, are truly fantastic!

DiggityDawg · Post by **DiggityDawg** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 11:17 am

People in this town have some kind of psychotic need to "beat traffic" at all costs. GO! GO! GO!

No one seems to realize that if they'd just calm down & let some of those people go that traffic will be much less nasty if you just wait 30 minutes.

I crossed the Broadway Bridge ( as usual ) on the way home from work last nite about 11:50 . Looked great...I knew it was more orange-y than red because there's been a couple times the last few months where they were apparently testing the lights. And the Paseo looked really cool off in the distance. I'll hafta take I-35 home sometime next week to check it out.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:08 am

the ONE thing I was looking forward to getting back from Boston tonight was driving under a lit Broadway Bridge.....late flight, lost baggage and to top it off, Broadway bridge DARK

At least the other 2 were lit.