The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will install 17 miles of fiber optic cable to connect U.S. 24 between Woodland Park and I-25/Cimarron Street in Colorado Springs.
The $2.5 million fiber optic project will be part of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) in Colorado and is expected to last nine months. Construction began in January 2019 starting from Manitou Springs and working east to I-25.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances or weather delays, the fiber cable is anticipated to go live by October 2019. The work will include the installation of multiple conduits for CDOT as well as current and future partners. This fiber project is the first step in converting U.S. 24 to a Smart Mobility corridor.
“The fiber optics project is part of CDOT’s Smart Mobility Plan, a first of its kind, which is part of a five- to 10-year initiative for statewide technology deployment,” said CDOT Region 2 Program Engineer Mark Andrew, in a release. “This fiber project is the foundation for increased traffic monitoring, real-time communication to traveling public, and emerging vehicle communication technologies, all of which greatly improve safety and efficiency.”
The project will utilize real-time access to traffic-monitoring cameras, variable message signs, and traffic signals which greatly increase the effectiveness of these devices during significant corridor events, such as road work, major accidents, and closures due to extreme weather events. The fiber also will give CDOT a remote connection to the traffic signals in Woodland Park which will greatly improve traffic signal timing.
CDOT has partnered with local agencies Colorado Springs Utilities, El Paso County, City of Manitou Springs and Teller County to provide a path for installing their own fiber lines through this corridor.
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Source: Colorado DOT
