Tilson Tackles a Turnpike

A project we heard about earlier this year in our Industry Spotlight article with Tilson’s Josh Broder has come further into the sunlight. Last year, the PTC awarded a 25-year contract to Plenary Broadband Infrastructure to develop network infrastructure along the transportation artery. Construction on that project is now underway, with Tilson’s asset-owning affiliate Tilson Infrastructure taking on the task of operating and commercializing the asset.

The initial buildout will put brand new 288-count dark fiber as well as a couple of empty ducts along 220 route miles of the eastern half of the PA Turnpike. More specifically that means between Harrisburg and the New Jersey border as well as along the Northeast Extension up to Scranton in 2022. The western half of the PA turnpike is expected to be targeted for 2026, passing over (and through) the Appalachians to Pittsburgh and the Ohio border.

The PA Turnpike hopes to generate non-toll revenue from the dark fiber infrastructure as well as to power its monitoring and surveillance efforts of the transportation system. The state itself is also hoping the infrastructure brings broadband infrastructure into more underserved markets across the state. Tilson will therefore be looking to bring that fiber to the region’s service providers, institutions and enterprises.

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Categories: Engineering & Construction · Fiber Networks