Lyndon Broadband Project Status Update
Prepared by Implementation Committee
March 14, 2020
As spring draws near, the Lyndon Township Broadband Implementation Committee is pleased to provide an update on what work has been completed over the winter, and an installation schedule for residents who are not yet connected.
MAINLINE CONSTRUCTION
The most significant part of the mainline construction project, accounting for about 90% of the construction cost and the longest part of the timeline, is the installation of underground conduit via directional boring. Our construction contractor Henkels and McCoy has been continuing at a good pace throughout the winter, and we are pleased to announce that this part of the project is complete! It is a big milestone to have all of the conduit in the ground, and we are excited to share this good news.
FIBER PLACEMENT AND SPLICING
As the conduit is built underground, the next step is to install fiber optic cable in the conduit and splice it to make the correct connections. We encountered problems with the quality and speed of the fiber placement and splicing work done by Henkels & McCoy. When the work quality problems were detected, we stopped Henkels & McCoy from completing further fiber work. After significant analysis and discussion, the Lyndon Township Broadband Implementation Committee recommended, and the Lyndon Township Board approved the transfer of the remaining fiber placement and splicing work to MEC and their subcontractors. This change is estimated to be cost neutral and with MEC handling all the remaining installation tasks, we feel confident in the new estimated schedule that MEC has provided us.
ESTIMATED SCHEDULE
The estimated schedule for most zones still aligns with the estimated schedule we released last fall. The two zones where the schedule was most impacted are Central Office and Boyce. This is largely due to the time taken to analyze and execute on the best path forward after problems were discovered with the fiber placement and splicing in these zones done by Henkels & McCoy. The volunteers that make up the Implementation Committee recognize our responsibility to our fellow Lyndon Township residents for the project schedule and budget. The new estimates are intended to be conservative and it is our hope, though we can’t promise, that we may be able to find ways to improve upon this timeline.
The township has been divided into 11 zones or in networking terms, PONs (Passive Optical Networks). These zones represent the sequence in which construction and installations will occur. You can find your zone here: http://www.lyndonbroadband.org/zone-map/
Werkner
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation complete
- Drop installation complete
- Home installations: 98% (87) complete (a few waiting for homeowner to call back for scheduling).
Island Lake
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation complete
- Drop installation complete
- Home installations 94% (63) complete (a few waiting for homeowner to call back for scheduling).
Central Office
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation complete (some repairs still underway)
- Drop installations: 92% (82) complete
- Home installations underway 6% (5) complete, others being scheduled
Boyce
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation complete (some repairs still underway – one section of fiber to be replaced)
- Drop installations complete
- Home installations to begin late April
Sugarloaf
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation complete
- Drop installations to begin in mid-April
- Home installations to begin in late May
Guinan
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 49%, to be completed in mid-May
- Drop installations to begin in mid-May
- Home installations to begin in late May
Long Lake
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 64%, to be completed in mid-May
- Drop installations to begin in late May
- Home installations to begin in mid-June
Wild Goose
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 24%, to be completed in early June
- Drop installations to begin in early June
- Home installations to begin in late June
Bruin
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 0%, to be completed in early July
- Drop installations to begin in late June
- Home installations to begin in early July
Joslin
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 0%, to be completed in mid-July
- Drop installations to begin in early July
- Home installations to begin in late July
Ellsworth
- Mainline boring complete
- Mainline fiber installation 0%, to be completed in early August
- Drop installations to begin in mid-July
- Home installations to begin in mid-August.
As always, please reach out to lyndonbroadband1@gmail.com with any questions.