Fiber Optics Phone Cable laid in road

[ovrszd]

See if you can get them to saw a tee at the bottom of hill that would drain into the ditch.

When they brought the Keystone pipeline through here they had a creek crossing like you describe. Every time they would fail they would bring in the next bigger piece of equipment. They finally ended up with a couple of 40 ton hoes with hydraulic hammers.

I doubt it will get cold enough to have frost deep enough to get to the fiber line, especially now with global warming and all.

Yeah, I'm anxious to see what's next...... Good one on the global warming!!!!

 

[ovrszd]

So what's the theory behind putting it in the road, vs. making them put it in the ditch, where all the utilities have gone forever? Less likely to have someone dig it up putting in a driveway or fence? Won't it be a pain for them to run back and forth to the pedestals, if they have to add someone on? Sure, tear up the road whenever they have to work on anything.

I originally was against putting it in the road. I logically realized it doesn't matter what I think. So, being an optimist, I began to look for the positives. Now I know where the cable is. It's buried deep enough under my culverts that I won't have to worry about it replacing them. If a land owner approaches me about shaving a roadbank or dozing brush to build a new fence they/I don't have to worry about the cable. I suspect, hope the cable is durable enough that I'll not see any repairs in my roadbeds. I guess time will tell.

I've got two projects that drift with snow. Have waited for this cable move to work on them. Both of them currently have phone cable up on the bank that I need to doze off. So, again, being an optimist, I'm onboard with it. Even though right now it's not pretty.

 

[ovrszd]

I wasn't onsite when they laid the cable in the saw trench. I'll ask the crew Monday if maybe it's laid in conduit to protect it from rock damage in the future?

 

[ovrszd]

Another interesting point. They don't splice the cable in the roadbed when a spool ends. They only splice in a "box" that's buried next to the pedestals. Every pedestal has one. I'll try to remember to get a picture.

So they haul the cable spools on trailers pulled by a pickup. The trailers have a gas engine that powers the spool. When they come to a bore site they unspool all of the cable, feed the end thru, respool on the other side and go again. If bores are reasonably close together they unspool cable and lay it out on the roadbank and then feed it thru each bore as they go. That's what they did on the video I posted.

The first time I saw them unspool a cable I couldn't understand what was going on. I asked the crew foreman and he explained it to me. I didn't ask how many feet of cable is on each spool. In this pic they just finished unspooling one to go thru a bore. There was a LOT of cable laying on the ground......

 

[terex herder]

The cable is marked by the foot, so you just look at the ends to know how much cable is in the pile or on the spool. Are they laying conduit with the fiber inside, or are they installing conduit and going to pull the fiber later?

 

[ovrszd]

The cable is marked by the foot, so you just look at the ends to know how much cable is in the pile or on the spool. Are they laying conduit with the fiber inside, or are they installing conduit and going to pull the fiber later?

Yep, I am aware of the cable markings. I just didn't want to go bother them while they work looking for the marking.

The only place conduit is used is during bores. My video is a bit boring and rambles, but you can see them load/unload the knife with bare cable.

The bore crew leaves the conduit ends exposed. They bore based on flags and ground markings showing them where to start and end. Each bore site is marked with a large white flag. The bore site registration # is written on the flag. Also the distance of the bore is written.

 

[digger doug]

Could be worse in the middle of the road:

 

[DMiller]

Be curious to see that trench after a Serious LONG duration heavy rain.

 

[ovrszd]

I spent the day cleaning up roads where cable was laid. It's snowing steadily now. Forecast 1-3". Hoping for less.

The only cable left to lay is where they can't penetrate the rock ledge at the creek crossing. Then 1/2 mile of cable to lay.

We're roaring ahead full steam into Winter. Unusual for us this early. I'm sure glad they almost got my township done. They've laid 17 miles.

In the morning I'm going to the phone company office and talk to them about replacing lost gravel. I'll report the results.

 

[ovrszd]

I finally got an audience with the phone company. They expect to pay for damages. They are going to drive my roads and then get back to me. I think I've lost 50% of my rock.

The manager that I talked to is a nice enough guy but has no logic or knowledge to road care. He said "well we will have to figure out how we are going to just spread gravel down half of the roadway". I kept my composure and said I think we would both be best served by determining a loss amount. Then either the phone company send us a check for the total. Or, better yet, send a check to the local quarry company and have them credit our account. Then we'll get the rock and put it on where it'll do us the most good. That decision will be above his pay grade but I planted the seed.

I next went to the Quarry and asked them what the phone company would pay p/ton for gravel. $18.43 at the quarry. Haul rate to my township is currently $6.50 p/ton. So $24.93 p/ton delivered.

I don't think 2 dump truck loads (17 ton) per mile would fix the roads. I think it will require 3 loads. 51 ton per mile. 17 x 51 = 867 ton. 867 x $24.93 = $21,614.31 total.

There is going to be much gnashing of teeth over this. I'll report the results.