One of the new streetlights is lifted into position at the corner of Main Street and West Diamond Street on Monday.

The men wearing hard hats looked to the sky, but they weren't staring at the county courthouse or the statues at Diamond Park.

They were looking at downtown Butler's new streetlight poles along Main Street as contractors planted them one by one in the ground.

“They're LED and they're more decorative and historic looking,” said Joe Gray, owner of Gray Consulting. “They have a sidewalk arm to them also, so they light the sidewalk as well as the street.”

The black light poles, made of aluminum and some galvanized and powder-coated steel, extend 26 feet high and one arm hangs across the street. The pole has a second arm that hangs 14 feet above the sidewalk to provide light there as well.

Gray said the poles have also been specialized to accommodate the city's military banners.

The 1.3 million lighting project is part of the city's Street Scape plan, which involves projects that beautify and improve Main Street.

Gray said some delays on the manufacturer's end slowed the project down, but they now have everything they need to continue.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Tuesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read more.