Albemarle Broadband Authority votes to ask VDOT to expedite permits as buildout races to June 30 deadline

The Albemarle Broadband Authority voted to authorize its chair to send a letter to the Virginia Department of Transportation asking that VDOT expedite permits tied to Firefly’s ARPA-funded broadband construction, citing permit and rail-crossing delays that could prevent work from completing before the June 30 fiscal-year deadline.

The motion was made by Trevor and approved by voice vote after a member offered a brief amendment to also include Albemarle ARPA-funded locations alongside the Body 22 program. Chair Alan was authorized to sign the letter on the authority’s behalf.

Why it matters: staff said ARPA rules require the work and funding to be completed before the fiscal-year end; missing that date could put federal funds at risk. Staff and company presenters told the board that most construction—placing fiber in the ground—has been completed in many project areas, but remaining steps (feed completion, splicing and railroad crossings) depend on external approvals and final contractor handoffs.

Dennis Reese of Firefly, who joined remotely, said seven railroad crossing approvals recently came through and that those releases allowed connections in the Sherwood Farms area. He told the authority that about six railroad crossings remain in Albemarle County and that three were scheduled later in the month. “We’ve got a couple other crossings in the works,” Reese said, adding that each railroad has its own review process and timeline.

Firefly and staff described the technical steps remaining in several areas: a missing feeder fiber that should be completed soon, splicing to begin once that feeder is in place, and hubs expected to be online within days to weeks in some locations. Gary, a company presenter, explained the Batesville feed runs on a newly completed 244-count transmission fiber tied to the Midway substation and that all fibers are in the ground awaiting final splicing and 'lighting' to deliver service.

Board and staff discussion focused on the pace of work and capacity: presenters said crews can install roughly a mile of fiber per week, estimated about 200 miles of underground placement remain across outstanding areas, and noted an all-contractor meeting was scheduled to improve coordination on permits, railroad approvals and easements. Staff said they will request a short, focused VDOT letter to prioritize Firefly-related permits and flagged the possibility of requesting a DHCD extension if necessary.

Easement issues also remain a material obstacle: staff said Firefly provided figures showing 37 locations had been denied easements, affecting 22 residents who wanted service; those addresses will be forwarded to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for follow-up. Board members discussed whether legal remedies tied to public-utility status would help, but members cautioned such actions can be challenged and urged preventive measures (e.g., requiring utility easements on new subdivisions).

The authority’s authorization to send a letter to VDOT follows staff’s recommendation that a short, targeted request could help move permitting to the top of VDOT’s review list for pressing ARPA-funded broadband work. The motion included the amendment to explicitly cover Albemarle ARPA locations as well as Body 22 project areas.

What’s next: staff will prepare the letter for the chair to sign and will pursue coordination with the district engineer and VDOT contacts; Firefly will proceed with final splicing and scheduling of the remaining rail crossings and hub activations. The authority also signaled it may seek a DHCD extension if construction cannot be completed by June 30.