Page 10 - Nov-Dec18
P. 10
Digital Divide from page 9 air-jetting it into the conduit from the Microtrenching, which is usually
handhole quickly and easily without the less than an inch wide and six to
a joint effort among all entities expense and disruption of construction. nine inches deep, is far less invasive
involved to share information on plans, and eliminates considerable red tape
processes, and policies. However, by Microtrenching when compared to traditional street
putting in a conduit system each time trenching projects, are several feet wide
a roadway is opened or by linking One of the construction techniques and deep and create traffic detours
a decision-making process to the that has been around for more than for days, if not weeks. Traditional
permitting system, over time the 15 years, but is just recently gaining trenching also may require more
community would realize tremendous popularity, is microtrenching. It is than twice as many surveying and
cost-savings and gradually build a cost-effective, time-efficient, and permitting days. Additional advantages
flexible, scalable infrastructure system easily mitigates traffic congestion, include the shorter build time – cut
with the ability to easily upgrade however, contractors still have difficulty in half in most cases – but most
without having to dig twice. convincing municipalities to accept the importantly, shorter interruption of
new technology. traffic flow. Using this method, crews
Dig Deeper – Save Even More of the have been able to lay as much as a few
Taxpayers’ Money Based in Tennessee, Dura-Line is an thousand feet of fiber per day.
ISO-9001 global manufacturer of HDPE
Empty conduits in the ground, which conduit which provides pathways to Conclusion
could be revenue-generating by leasing connect fiber-optic networks. Key
or renting, allow the potential for Accounts Manager, U.S., Brad Burkett Essentially, a portion of our
expansion when it is necessary. If fiber is said, “Within an hour and a half, the population is mis-trained for
direct buried alone, it will still be a leap road was cut with a small incision 500 manufacturing jobs that don’t
forward in streamlining and investing feet in length and we were able to lay exist anymore. When community
in broadband infrastructure of the U.S. microduct as part of a demo for the leaders consider how to connect the
However, when an upgrade is needed, it City of Dallas. The trench was sealed unconnected, it gives equal opportunity
means more digging. The use of conduit to the point it could be driven on, and for all to participate in jobs that are part
provides the flexibility of upgrading when the product hardened, it was more of the digital economy and allows room
(adding additional fiber) without the supportive than the rebarb that was for growth and advancement for all
cost of digging. Fiber can be placed by in the ground. We were able to create residents and businesses.
pathways for now and the future.”
10 TPW November/December 2018
