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River Street project installs middle‑mile fiber; company says buried customer connections will follow
Summary
River Street Networks and Appalachian Power have installed large stretches of middle‑mile fiber across Franklin County; River Street told supervisors most of its last‑mile distribution will be buried and expects initial construction to start in weeks in targeted Sandy Level areas.
River Street Networks told Franklin County supervisors on July 15 that Appalachian Power had completed significant aerial installation of middle‑mile fiber along its transmission corridors and that River Street crews are installing ‘tails’ (short fiber drops) on many poles to enable splicing and later customer service drops.
River Street’s director of engineering said the work is advancing on several segments — including Dickinson and Sago routes — and that the build method for customer connections in planned areas will be predominantly buried cable, not additional aerial make‑ready attachments. The company said more than 60 pole tails were already on poles and crews anticipate further splicing and contract work in the coming weeks as permitting clears.
Why it matters: River Street is a regional, middle‑mile project administered by the Planning District Commission and intended to enable multiple ISPs to light last‑mile service. The distinction matters because middle‑mile availability is a prerequisite for providers to attach distribution cable to reach residences; the choice to bury laterals changes permitting, cost and schedule compared with aerial make‑ready work.
River Street said the Sandy Level area is likely to be first for buried construction; company staff estimated 30–45 days to begin construction activity in the earliest phase if permitting remains on schedule. The company said it had resubmitted some VDOT permits for Dickinson and was coordinating bonding and VDOT reviews for additional cabin areas. River Street also said it has about $6 million in bonding tied to current permit packages and that VDOT reviews and bond increases will be staged as each permit advances.
County staff emphasized the project differs from the VADI program: Appalachian Power is providing the middle‑mile backbone under lease to River Street, and River Street will attach customers by building its own buried distribution off that backbone. Supervisors asked about the visual signifiers that residents might see — coil on the pole vs. completed splice — and River Street staff described the difference: a coil alone does not indicate the cable is live, while an installed h‑frame and neatly mounted splice case and tail indicate testing and readiness.
The county encouraged River Street to continue public outreach so residents can sign up on the project website to be notified when service reaches specific addresses.
What’s next: River Street will continue splicing and tail installation and submit VDOT and local permits for buried distribution; county staff said they expect to see construction in Sandy Level within 30–45 days, contingent on permit approvals.
