The team hopes this nuanced analysis will lead to smarter investments rather than blanket assumptions about brighter being better.
Dane’s team also led “Lighting 101” sessions to educate the public on topics like glare, color temperature, and energy use.
Their approach has already borne fruit: Santa Ana recently secured a $1 million Highway Safety Improvement Program grant to fund one of the priority projects identified in the master plan.
Smart controls are another critical focus. Although Santa Ana’s fixtures are equipped with seven-pin receptacles for controls, the city has not yet invested in a system to dim or adjust them. Dane believes that implementing adaptive controls is the next logical step, especially since many areas are overlit. “With controls, you can dim fixtures to 50% and still meet IES criteria,” he said. “That not only saves energy but also reduces glare and light trespass.”
The timing was serendipitous—Dane recalled how the award announcement coincided with a public meeting where residents asked when improvements would start. “We were able to say, ‘Well, actually, we just got funding,’” he said. Public engagement has been a cornerstone of the project. Community meetings were held in both English and Spanish, with simultaneous translation to ensure everyone could participate. Residents were invited to place stickers on maps to indicate areas of concern or interest. Top priorities identified included driver visibility, lighting for pedestrians, and neighborhood character.
Map showing redlining in Santa Ana 54
designing lighting
Beyond illumination, the plan examines how lighting intersects with social equity. Using historical redlining maps, the team identified areas where infrastructure has been neglected for decades. In some cases, these neighborhoods have less decorative pedestrian lighting and rely on basic cobra-head fixtures on wooden poles. The master plan proposes targeted upgrades to improve safety and reinforce neighborhood identity.