A Municipal Fiber to the Home Network for Charlemont Massacusetts
Information about Charlemont Connect make-ready. Make-ready is work to prepare a “path” for the distribution network to run throughout the town. Most of this work is done by the utilities (National Grid and Verizon) to make space on existing utility poles. In some cases, the town may perform make-ready work by installing new underground conduit (e.g. near the town hall or on Hawk Hill Road) or new utility poles (e.g. on the west end of Tower Road) to create a cost-effective path for the distribution network.
Verizon has now completed eleven of our seventeen make-ready applications! Once all our applications are returned, our partners, Westfield Gas & Electric (WG&E) will inspect the work and confirm that the utility poles are ready for our municipal fiber.
Comments closedCharlemont’s Highway Department dug some test holes that uncovered ledge at the proposed pole locations on Warner Hill Rd. Our partners, Westfield Gas & Electric (WG&E), selected Burke Electric because they have the experience and needed equipment for setting utility poles in areas with ledge.
Comments closedWhat do those completed Verizon make-ready applications mean in practice? And is the make-ready on my road completed yet? Trevor Mackie has created a visualization of Charlemont’s make-ready that will offer an at-a-glance status of each portion of town as we count down the remaining work needed to begin the distribution network.
Comments closedCharlemont has received notification from Verizon that seven of our seventeen applications are complete! When the remaining ten applications are returned and the make-ready work is inspected, the construction can begin on our distribution network.
Comments closedVerizon has completed another make-ready application, bringing us to 5 of 17 complete! Charlemont’s municipal fiber timeline is largely defined by the completion of our Verizon make-ready. Each completed application brings Charlemont closer to the next phase of the project.
Comments closedDanek Excavating began work on the path preparation project for Warner Hill Rd! Conduit is being laid in a section of the road that will allow municipal fiber to bypass a difficult to maintain stretch of aerial utilities that comes in from the town of Heath.
Comments closedBecause Verizon make-ready continues to define our overall project timeline, progress on this work directly impacts when Charlemont can begin to offer municipal fiber service. This week Verizon is reporting a big jump in the percentage complete on multiple applications.
Comments closedThe underground utility path on Warner Hill Road is being modified with resident, Highway Superintendent, Broadband Committee, and Select Board support. Concerns about the originally designed fully underground solution are being addressed by adding two new utility poles. Danek Excavating is expected to complete the work in late summer and early fall.
Comments closedAnother Verizon application is complete, bringing our total to four of seventeen Verizon make-ready applications returned!
Comments closedCharlemont Municipal Fiber Network
Selectboard Status Report
August 30, 2020
Verizon has approved two licenses (out of 17) but the estimated final completion date is still December 31, 2020. This is the main schedule driver. Based on this date, we anticipate starting construction of the distribution network in April, 2021. We are working to complete several “path preparation” projects: Heath Stage Terrace is complete. National Grid was granted approval to install new utility poles along Hawk Hill Road, eliminating the need for the town to install underground conduit there. The new utility poles have been installed along Tower Road; tree trimming is being scheduled. Design adjustments on Warner Hill require a pole hearing which is scheduled for September 8. Construction of the network equipment room is complete; electronics could start being installed later this year. So far, the project remains on budget. We are anticipating the first tranche of town borrowing in September, 2020.
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