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River Street reports broadband buildout progress in Charlotte County, cites railroad-crossing delays
Summary
River Street told the board it increased deployed fiber from 466 to 534 miles and installed customers from 533 to 835 since March, but railroad-crossing permit delays and one electric-fence grounding issue are holding up some service areas; the grant cycle runs through June 2026.
River Street project managers updated the Board of Supervisors on broadband deployment progress and technical obstacles slowing final customer activations in parts of Charlotte County.
Rob Taylor reported that, since March, the network grew from 466 to 534 miles of fiber (a 68‑mile increase) and passed roughly 1,059 additional locations (from just under 4,500 to just over 5,500). Installed customers rose from 533 to 835 and pending orders in process fell from about 236 to roughly 118, which River Street described as roughly a week to two weeks of installs when crews are available.
Taylor emphasized that railroad‑crossing permitting has been a key bottleneck: crossing review times that once averaged about 120 days are now averaging about 180 days in some areas, delaying the ability to finish splicing and testing. He also described a grounding issue tied to an electric fence that prevented termination/testing on one fiber run; crews planned a landowner meeting the next day to resolve that issue.
Taylor said crews recently installed interducts and completed crossings in several zones; once splicing and testing are finished, the company expects to “light up” and make service available for pockets of customers within weeks. He noted the federal/state grant cycle supporting some of the buildout runs through June 2026.
Why it matters: the project materially increases county broadband availability but faces schedule risk tied to external approvals (railroads) and site‑specific issues. Residents in affected zones should expect availability as cabinets are tested and turned over to the provider; orders are generally completed first‑come, first‑served after service availability is published.
What happens next: River Street will continue splicing/testing and work with adjacent counties where lines cross county borders; the board and residents were told to expect additional rollouts in the coming weeks where crossings and technical issues are resolved.
