Your not paying attention...There has been no middle ground...Did you notice the light domes from the cities now extends for hundreds of miles into the atmosphere and in all directions, completely washing out night sky's, even into many rural areas? And it's just getting worse.
Look, if people want to turn night into day, and plant street lights every 80 feet, and pay the taxes on them, I can't do anything about it.
You are right - there has been no “middle ground” - and why is that? Lights can be focused - even flood lights can be directed... and the cost, after you figure in the lower wattage output to light the same surface area, is not significant.
Blows my mind to be diving down the road - and you know when you are getting near a small town that has a new WalMart - their lights light up half of a little town - looks almost like stadium lights. (And no, I’m not trying to bash WalMart - just that they present a glaring example - no pun intended).