Authority discusses adding conduit/fiber during paving; staff cite $25/ft estimate and call for specs

During a discussion prompted by a resident suggestion, the board and staff considered whether to add fiber or conduit while the parking lot is excavated for paving to avoid later pavement removals. A participant suggested the paving window is an opportune time to install an optical backbone to the building, noting economies of scale if enough units sign on.

Staff and commissioners reviewed technical constraints: buildings currently have coax or Cat‑5 wiring in units and some providers (Frontier, Optimum) already serve the properties. Meeting participants noted that bringing fiber to a building’s basement or feed point does not automatically deliver fiber service into each apartment unless in‑unit wiring is changed. They discussed whether distributing a fiber feed over existing Cat‑5 or coax would provide meaningful benefit to tenants.

On costs and specifications, staff said the project spec already includes roughly 600–700 feet of conduit for camera infrastructure and that a vendor earlier quoted about $25 per foot to install additional conduit in paving trenches. Speakers recommended adding extra conduit in strategic locations while trenching is open to avoid higher costs later if services change.

Why it matters: Installing conduit during paving can be cheaper and less disruptive than cutting open new pavement later. The question affects capital planning (conduit and camera infrastructure), future broadband options for tenants and the scope of current paving contracts.

What’s next: staff will confirm conduit pricing with bidders, clarify whether the camera conduit included in specs can serve future broadband needs, and report back to the board before final contractor selection.