Broadband rollout in Montgomery County slowed by railroad scheduling; OLT activations targeted by year-end

County broadband staff updated the Montgomery County Economic Development Authority on network deployment and permitting constraints. Staff said OLTs 3 and 5 are active, covering roughly 245 passings, and that OLTs 6 and 7 are in testing with 378 and about 380 passings reported for those zones. The program goal is to have OLTs 3 through 10 active by year-end, but activations are contingent on completing work at railroad crossings and scheduling by Norfolk Southern.

Staff and board members noted the project includes 23 railroad crossings in total, seven in the first project area, and that six crossings remain unscheduled. Staff described the railroad's scheduling backlog as having 'over 4,000 in the queue' with only a few crossings able to be scheduled per day; that backlog and the railroad's control of schedules are major constraints on the timeline. Staff also warned of compliance risks: a fine of $250,000 was mentioned if equipment/procedures violate railroad rules. Staff said the General Assembly passed a bill attempting to reallocate some railroad authority but the Railroad Association sued, constraining change and leaving much scheduling authority with the railroad.

Staff reported more than 142 miles of network placed in Montgomery County as of a week ago; a planned work start on the Reiner Loop (24.9 miles) was delayed by storm damage but is expected to resume in the near term, with further areas targeted to start in mid-January. Staff noted some naming inconsistencies in presentation materials (APCO vs. ABCO) and that a subset of planned passings sits north and south of final railroad-clearance points.