Both AT&T and Google are currently installing high speed fiber conduit throughout Chapel Hill.  The work will be performed by contractors and sub-contractors. Although you will not see AT&T or Google logos on the trucks, all contractor vehicles are required to be marked and all personnel are required to wear identifying clothing, including hardhats and reflective vests.

Before beginning work, the contractor will leave a door hanger on the front door of each home in the area. The door hangers will provide basic information about the process and contact numbers. This normally occurs within two weeks of the beginning of construction. 

We are not able to provide a long range schedule to alert residents of impending construction.

The contractors apply for an Encroachment Permit from the Town, which is reviewed and approved by Larry Tucker, Senior Engineering Coordinator. After the contractors receive their permit, it is up to them to schedule and complete the work – our permit does not bind them to a specific time or time frame. We do require that they maintain plans and permits on the job site at all times. Ernie Rogers, Engineering Inspector, is our field representative who inspects the work of the contractors. The Town receives daily notification of where the contractors are working and which specific sub-contractor is performing the work. We are trying to determine a more efficient and effective method of presenting that information.

Public agencies and utility companies have the right to work in your front yard, provided the work stays within the public right-of-way owned by the Town. To see your parcel lines on a GIS map, visit gis.townofchapelhill.org/public/.

These lines are often behind the actual roadway and sidewalks into what appears to be private property. In some cases, utility crews can work on your land to install fiber optic cables and upgrade other infrastructure in order to provide services to the surrounding area. It is called a utility easement and, if there is one, it is written on your deed and closing documents. But utilities companies are supposed to clean up any mess.

We do not have a specific timeframe for construction because the amount of time it will take varies greatly based on a variety of factors. The construction area typically will be restored within a few days after construction is complete. Contract workers will re-seed and cover areas with straw. Construction in your area does not mean that new or improved service will be available to you soon. It could be many months. 

Much of the work will be done by what is referred to as directional boring. Contractors use a machine that drills underground and the conduit is then run in the tunnel created by the bore drill. Typically, the contractor will dig a hole as an access point for the boring machine. After the conduit is installed, the contractor will either install a pedestal or vault. Normally, the pedestals or vaults will be spaced about 30 feet apart. The reason for using directional boring versus trenching are numerous; the following websites provide more information on directional boring:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_boring

http://www.directionalboringcentral.com/library/dba/dbapamphlet.htm

The Town is prohibited by State law to compel any utility or company to work with another company to construct their network.

Prior to beginning work, the contractor notifies the utility coordinating authority by calling 811, using the 811 phone app, or on the web at nc811.org. The American Public Works Association guidelines dictate the color scheme:

Once a contractor calls 811 to start a locate ticket, the other utilities (gas, water, cable, etc.) will have three business days to locate their underground services and mark those with paint.  Note – if you are a homeowner with irrigation pipes installed in the Right of Way, you can reduce problems by flagging the piping so that the contractor is aware they are in the ground (flagging material is available at local hardware stores – you can also use purple paint, but please do not use any other color). Also, the paint used to mark utilities should wear off within 6-8 weeks depending upon weather, traffic and other factors.

The way the 811 system works, after three business days the contractor may begin work, regardless if all of the utilities are marked or not. Additionally, sometimes the boring head will hit an object, like a rock, and veer off course which can cause an accidental cut.