Underground work, power line removal slated to finish this summer

Underground utility work continues to move closer to completion in the town of Longboat Key. 

Public Works Director Isaac Brownman provided a formal update of progress to town commissioners at their March 20 regular workshop. 

All underground work is complete in Phase 1, which includes switch orders. Phase 1 covers Country Club Shores and the Longboat Key Club.

All underground infrastructure work is complete in Phase 2 and Phase 3. The switch order process, which shifts electric power from the aerial poles to the new underground infrastructure, for Phase 2 is underway. Phase 2 runs from the north end of the island to Dream Island Road.

In Phase 3, FPL has approved redline drawings and the switch orders process is expected to begin soon. Phase 3 goes from the north end of Country Club Shores to the Sarasota County line.

In Phase 4, the final phase, nearly all underground work is complete excluding 10 switches on Gulf of Mexico Drive. The additional switches became necessary as FPL worked to update its infrastructure. FPL installed the new infrastructure at no additional cost. Phase 4 includes south of Dream Island Road to the county line.

“Switching can still take place outside of the areas where these remaining pieces of equipment fall to minimize any schedule impact,” the staff memo read. 

Following completion of the switch orders, FPL can begin removing aerial poles that no longer serve a purpose. The pole removal is the sole responsibility of FPL. According to Brownman, the town has an expectation that such removal could start as early as this summer. 

All neighborhood street lights that can be installed without overhead power line conflicts have been placed in all phases. Poles that cannot be placed will be immediately following aerial power line removal by FPL. 

Contractor Wilco has installed all town fiber optic conduit. The town is still awaiting a final proposal from Wilco before the fiber can be connected to town facilities. Frontier and Comcast are actively working to complete their underground work and remove non-active aerial wires and poles. Phases 3 and 4 are still in the midst of conversions from aerial fiber. 

Currently, the project is coming in about $3.7 million under budget. For the town's portion of the project, it estimates remaining work will finish up in July. The latest FPL pole removal could be finished as early as August. 

Cell service improvements

As part of the underground update, Brownman also included updates to agreements that the town is seeking with cellular service providers following the installation of nine poles on the north end by Verizon. 

AT&T is reviewing terms of a lease agreement with the town for use of streetlight poles to enhance its coverage on the island, too. 

Brownman said the last time the town and AT&T discussed an agreement, the service provider was looking at utilizing 12 of the town’s streetlight poles. 

The town contacted T-Mobile and Dish about similar agreements but received no response.