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Commissioners approve scores of broadband permits for fiber bores across townships
Summary
The county approved multiple lease and road-bore permits for Comcast and other engineering firms (Allegiant/Legion/Zayo), authorizing directional bores and related work in North, Polk and Southern Center townships as part of an ongoing fiber expansion.
Marshall County commissioners on May 5 approved multiple sets of permits allowing directional bores and road crossings for broadband fiber work across several townships.
County staff presented groups of permit applications filed by engineering firms on behalf of Comcast and other broadband contractors. The board approved a set of permits described as "road bores for fiber" in North Township and a second group of 12 permits in Polk Township. Another group of 21 permits for Legion Engineering (for Zayo) covering many addresses and rural roads in Southern Center Township also was approved.
Commissioners and staff discussed the proliferation of different contractors and subcontractors performing similar hookups and noted that multiple firms may be working as subcontractors to obtain grant-driven per-hookup payments. "There's a lot of fiber in there," one commissioner said, acknowledging constituent calls about when connections would arrive. Staff explained that some delays were held up by permitting or engineering issues but that work appears to be coming back on schedule in areas such as Polk Township.
The board voted to approve the individual permit groups by voice vote. County staff said the permits are primarily for directional bores, plow machines and road-crossing operations at specific road segments (examples given: Oak Road between First Road and Tyler Road; Pine Road between First Road and US-6; multiple sections of Thirteenth and Fourteenth Road). Commissioners encouraged staff to track overlapping company activity and noted the state's grant structure often pays per-hookup, which can encourage multiple contractors to operate in the same areas.
The approvals will allow firms to proceed with fiber installation work; staff will continue to coordinate permitting and notify townships of scheduled activity.
