Look what new bridge lighting will be like (photo)

NEWS RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE AUTHORITY

************************* Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge 50th anniversary lighting concept chosen

Public voting selects the favorite by a small margin (November 1, 2011) - The public has spoken with an overwhelming response to the opportunity to vote to select the 50th anniversary lighting design that will grace the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge next year.

On October 3, the International Bridge Administration (IBA) launched a website for the public to view and vote for one of three visually striking bridge lighting designs.

Concept 2 was the favorite, receiving 3,729 votes (48.3 percent), followed closely by Concept 1 with 3,613 votes (46.8 percent).

Concept 3 was a distant third with 378 votes (4.9 percent). "The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge Authority (SSMBA) board of directors and the IBA staff are very pleased with the overwhelming response from the public," said Phil Becker, IBA general manager.

"Our goal was to get the public involved in the selection and build the anticipation and excitement for next year's celebration, and we've achieved that."

Unfortunately, it appears that someone began manipulating vote totals on the site, casting automated multiple votes, beginning early Friday morning.

To acknowledge as many properly cast votes as possible, the winning design was determined based on the vote totals just prior to when the automated voting began.

"We want to thank the 2,650 people who took the time to cast more than 7,720 votes for their favorite design," said Peter Petainen, the IBA chief financial officer and coordinator for the Web-based voting team. "We were able to identify the automated votes, and we've eliminated them from the totals."

The IBA reports that votes were cast from more than 221 cities in four countries, with 65.6 percent of the votes cast locally.

The selected design follows the national flag colors, with the Canadian arch including red and white lights, and the U.S. arches including red, white, and blue lights.

The design will incorporate industrial rope light strands that are secured to, and follow, the curved top and bottom profile on the east side of the arch spans.

The number "50" also will be created with rope lights at the center of the U.S. arch profile and at the center of the Canadian arch profile. The selected lighting concept will be installed in early 2012 and lit on June 28 at the anniversary lighting celebration event, planned to coincide with the annual bridge walk weekend.

Other celebration events being planned will be announced as details are finalized.

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