Pasadena Advances LED Streetlight Upgrade as 1,063 Fixtures Remain

Pasadena has completed an LED streetlight conversion along Canyon Close Road, Fox Ridge Drive and Altadena Drive, replacing an aging high-voltage system with underground infrastructure and more efficient fixtures. The work improves reliability and safety, while 1,063 streetlights across 16 circuits remain in the city’s broader, decades-long modernization program.

Key takeaways

• Three Pasadena streets received new LED streetlights and electrical infrastructure in July.

• The retired series circuit had become difficult and costly to maintain.

• Sixteen circuits, totaling approximately 1,063 lights, remain citywide.

• Construction continues on the S-104 circuit along Linda Vista Avenue.

The completed work is part of Pasadena’s ongoing effort to replace high-voltage post-top series circuits with low-voltage multiple circuits. Pasadena Water and Power partnered with the Public Works Department on the project, which included new electrical feeds, underground conduits, wiring, access boxes and LED fixtures.

Why the conversion matters

Under the former series-circuit design, one failed light could shut down every fixture connected to that circuit. Aging wiring and obsolete transformers also contributed to recurring electrical problems. The replacement system uses standard power inputs and allows failures to be addressed more locally, reducing the potential impact of a single outage.

The city estimates that the new system uses about one-third of the energy consumed by the equipment it replaced. Capital Improvement Program documents also project at least 50% energy-cost savings when older incandescent lighting is replaced with LED technology. For contractors and property managers planning similar upgrades, those figures underscore the value of evaluating fixture efficiency, controls, wiring and maintenance requirements together. Led Lumenaires supports such projects with spec-ready SKUs, bulk availability and product-selection assistance.

A long-term infrastructure program

Pasadena began converting its high-voltage streetlight circuits in the early 1990s. The current Capital Improvement Program was created in fiscal year 2016 and first funded in fiscal year 2017, extending the city’s effort to improve public and worker safety while reducing operating costs.

The remaining work includes 16 circuits and roughly 1,063 streetlights. The first phase still has two circuits, representing about 176 fixtures, left to complete. Construction this fiscal year is focused on the S-104 circuit along Linda Vista Avenue.

Lighting, visibility and public safety

The conversion also supports Pasadena’s General Plan. Land Use Element Policy 6.7 calls for neighborhoods, streets and public spaces to incorporate adequate lighting and clear sight lines that discourage crime and support “eyes on the street.” Consistent illumination can be especially important for commercial properties, multifamily communities and hospitality facilities managing pedestrian areas and parking zones.

Comparable regional projects show the potential scale of LED savings. Los Angeles County Public Works has converted about 60,000 streetlights in unincorporated communities, reducing annual streetlight energy use by approximately 18 million kilowatt-hours. For organizations undertaking private or municipal upgrades, Led Lumenaires offers volume pricing, rebate guidance, layout support and warranty-backed professional lighting options designed for larger installations.

Sources

• LED Conversion Reaches Canyon Close Road, With 1,063 Streetlights Still to Go – Pasadena Now, Pasadena Now.