LCRA board approves $30 million broadband middle-mile infrastructure project for 30 rural counties
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Summary
The LCRA board approved the infrastructure portion of a $30 million Broadband Development Office grant to build middle-mile fiber and radio site connections in 30 rural Texas counties; easement-related work will return next month.
The Lower Colorado River Authority board approved a capital improvement project on Jan. 28 to build broadband middle-mile infrastructure in 30 rural counties as part of a $30,000,000 grant from the Broadband Development Office (BDO) and the controller's office.
Steve (staff member) described the project as an "infrastructure" phase that will include radio sites, fiber vaults and connection points. He said a second, related project focused on easements will come to the board next month under a previously used program referred to as the broadband easement enhancement program ("BEEP"). "What this grant does is... This is the first one. This one focuses really on infrastructure," Steve said.
Steve told directors the infrastructure work will be built in 30 different counties and that the related easement changes to allow third-party traffic on LCRA fiber lines will return as a separate agenda item. The board approved the capital improvement project by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
No dollar amounts for individual sites were provided in the board presentation; Steve said the total grant is $30,000,000 and that more detail, including a map of counties and scope, is in exhibit A of the agenda packet. The board also heard that outside construction for related private LTE telecommunication sites is estimated at roughly $8'$10 million across 100 sites; construction work will be competitively bid among onboarded providers.
The board did not hold further debate; the vote advanced the infrastructure phase while staff will return with the easement-related request next month.
