Success Stories: Turnkey Fiber Construction Expertise

In today’s fast-paced digital world, telecommunications leaders rely on seamless connectivity to serve customers and stay ahead of the competition. Our ongoing work with a long-term bandwidth infrastructure customer in the Chicago metro area highlights our expertise in fiber network engineering and OSP (Outside Plant) construction.

SITUATION

Our partnership on this project began with a big undertaking: design and deploy additions to the customer’s fiber network throughout the western suburbs of Chicago. This complex project involved fiber engineering, permitting, and full-scale fiber construction. With an integrated approach, we provided end-to-end services including expert oversight to keep the project on track through every phase.

KEY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Navigating Challenging and Congested Conditions

Building a fiber network in a complex metro area presents a number of challenges, from navigating utility-dense environments to coordinating with several regulatory bodies. Our team worked diligently to design routes that optimize reliability and prioritize diverse pathways through geographic and infrastructure obstacles.

This project required installation across a few tricky environments, including:

• Railroads and Highways: Coordinating with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Tollway Department to install fiber infrastructure within the ongoing expansion of the Elgin O’Hare Expressway and the 294 Tollway.
• Waterways: Overcoming geological and logistical obstacles to complete the deployment of fiber conduits as deep as 50 feet under waterways.
• Residential Areas: Meticulous planning to minimize disruption to local communications.

Innovative Project Management

Our use of advanced tools, such as GIS tracking and highly customized project management dashboards, empowers our clients with:

• Real-time visibility: Customers can monitor progress, review challenges, and access accurate, detailed project reporting and photos of pre- and post-construction conditions, ensuring complete transparency and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

• Seamless coordination: Whether it’s handling unexpected infrastructure conflicts or adjusting to evolving client needs, our systems keep detailed records so that our teammates can access up to date information and keep the project moving.
• Proactive issue resolution: Field teams leverage the documentation in our tools to effectively coordinate with municipalities on permitting and necessary adjustments to the network design.

Building for Redundancy and Future Growth

Aligning with the customer’s network plans, we design with diversity and redundancy in mind, so alternative routes can provide uninterrupted connectivity in the event of any issue. This was especially critical while building the fiber backhaul between data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and other data-intensive operations. Our turnkey solutions included deploying six-conduit duct packages, offering ample capacity for today’s needs and future growth. Having continued to earn the customer’s trust, we also got the opportunity to partner on new fiber engineering projects in Virginia.

A Trusted Partnership in it for the Long Haul

Our success with this customer is not just about technical expertise; it’s about building trust and delivering consistent value. Having proven our ability to handle the complexities of the Chicago area, we have become their primary engineering partner in the market and earned additional work in other regions. To date, the Chicago fiber team has completed engineering and/or construction of more than 100 miles of fiber plant in the metro area for this customer. 2025 will bring ongoing collaboration as the customer continues to grow their network to meet rising demand.

As a professional design firm specializing in civil engineering, the Chicago team has been together for almost 20 years. The wealth of experience they’ve accumulated during that time, and the trust that has developed between team members, allows them to tackle complex projects with confidence and care. This team, in coordination with experienced construction crews, ensures that every aspect of fiber deployment is managed efficiently—from field surveying and permitting, to construction and restoration.