Fiber work is booming as consumer demand for bandwidth increases. This means communities across the nation will see more contractors working in residential and business districts to install fiber lines to meet our increasing demand for faster speed.
At the same time, community expectations are rising regarding the work of underground contractors. Communities expect contractors to be professional, maintain safe and clean jobsites and ensure areas are restored to their original condition.
Communities want the fiber installed with the least impact on residents, so two things stand out to community leaders — safety and professionalism.
Public safety
“Public safety is our first concern,” says Al Andrews, an engineering manager with the City of Louisville. “We want to work with the contractor and develop a plan to keep the public and crews safe during the project. Secondly, we want to minimize any long-term inconvenience to the public. Sometimes we (city and contractors) hit the mark, and sometimes we don’t.”
The best approach to addressing this top concern is communication. Some of these issues will be covered in the contract, but a face-to-face meeting is key. It’s important for everyone to fully understand the construction schedule and how public safety will be addressed in every phase of the project.
Professionalism
It is also important to be professional and friendly with the community, as well as accessible to answer questions or explain what work is being conducted. You have a project to complete, but always remember the work you are doing has an impact on the community. If you are working in an area, take the time to place door hangers at homes or businesses, letting them know about the work at hand and what to expect. Contractors who provide a professional experience, not just to the city employees, but to the community as a whole, are more likely to be asked to work on another project down the road.
Restoration
Community leaders expect that the contractor will leave the location in as good a condition, or better, as when they arrived. This also ties into the timely restoration of the jobsite as contractors move from one block to the next.
“Overall, contractors do a good job; they get in and out,” says Andrews. “Winter is a particularly difficult time, and we as city leaders know that. However, we expect the restoration will be completed as soon as the weather allows.”
Another area of consideration is how the restoration will impact bicycles. Communities around the country are becoming more bike-friendly, so the restoration of city streets, sidewalks and bike paths is important.
“If a section of pavement or asphalt is replaced, it must be on grade to accommodate bicyclists,” says Andrews. “Proper subgrade compaction is a major issue we are working to address. If it’s not done correctly and the section is not on grade, it can impact the safety of a bicyclist.”
Sound regulations
With more people working from home than ever before and nearby schools in session, contractors must do their part to help reduce noise and distractions in neighborhoods. Sound regulations can dictate work hours and required equipment decibel ratings in residential and commercial neighborhoods. These regulations are already affecting contractors in many European countries, and it is anticipated that cities across North America will adapt stricter guidelines to follow suit.
For example, in the city of Nashville, where an abundance of fiber work is taking place, local news sources reported an influx of complaints from downtown dwellers who were losing sleep from contractors working through the night. The city responded by enforcing new ordinances that ban construction work, including “blasting, jackhammering and hoe ramming,” between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
While the construction noise is frustrating to city residents, the increasingly stringent ordinances popping up across North America are equally frustrating to contractors who are working to meet aggressive project installation timelines.
While these issues can be frustrating for contractors, it’s important to understand that your individual work has an impact on the industry as a whole. Some communities can be more challenging to work with than others, and that is just the nature of the business. However, with open communication many of these issues can be addressed, allowing the contractor to get the work done in the most efficient manner.