KL Engineering served as the prime consultant for the City of West Allis, providing lighting and electrical design services for the Becher Street String Lighting Upgrades project. The improvements enhanced approximately 600 feet of Becher Street, from S. 68th Street to S. 70th Street, creating a safer and more inviting pedestrian environment while supporting the City’s ongoing lighting modernization efforts.
The project included the design of a decorative overhead string lighting system that illuminates pedestrian terraces, two blocks of roadway, and a key intersection. To ensure long-term reliability and public safety, the string lighting was designed as a standalone low-voltage system, separate from the existing high-voltage street lighting. Supplemental catenary poles were incorporated between decorative street light poles to support the span wire system, with string lights secured along the cable to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
KL Engineering performed a comprehensive electrical load analysis to verify that the lighting infrastructure could withstand the continuous tension created by the suspended lighting system. Above-ground elements were modeled after a similar installation in neighboring Wauwatosa to provide visual consistency, while underground infrastructure was designed in accordance with the City of West Allis’ electrical standards and National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements.
Throughout design, KL Engineering conducted field investigations, coordinated utility locating, identified and resolved potential utility conflicts, and field-verified proposed pole, pull box, and cabinet locations to streamline construction and minimize impacts. The project also included an evaluation of converting the existing high-voltage street lighting system to low-voltage LED technology, with the new electrical service strategically located to accommodate future corridor expansion and lighting conversion efforts.
Completed in 2024, the Becher Street String Lighting Upgrades were delivered alongside a larger lighting replacement initiative that converted 128 street lighting units across multiple city blocks. KL Engineering has partnered with the City of West Allis on its annual lighting circuit conversion program, assisting with the replacement of more than 1,350 light fixtures throughout the City’s residential and commercial corridors.
