WIRING CALIFORNIA:

BROADBAND IN CALTRANS RIGHTS-OF-WAY

Date:               March 18th, 1 PM -4 PM
Location:         Director's Board Room 2116 in the Caltrans HQ office, 1120 N St, Sacramento, CA

Executive Order S-23-06 found that “…State action is needed to continue investment in, stimulate adoption of, and remove further barriers to the development of world-class broadband networks...” The Executive Order directed the Business, Transportation, and Housing (BTH) Agency to lead a statewide effort to streamline permitting within State rights of way (ROW) and state agencies to coordinate their implementation efforts. 

Consistent with the Executive Order S-23-06 and recommendations from the Broadband Task Force Report, this forum brings together the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), local communities, and broadband providers to discuss how to promote further deployment of broadband within ROW.  The forum will address:

• Current procedures for deploying fiber and conduit along state highways
• Roles of Caltrans and the CPUC in permitting or facilitating deployment of conduit and fiber along state highways
• Whether improvements to current processes and procedures are necessary and, if so, proposals for such improvements.

I.                Introduction and Welcome [1:00 pm.]

a.      Anne Neville (BTH)
b.     Randy Iwasaki (Caltrans)
c.      Commissioner Rachelle Chong (CPUC)

II.              Facilitating Broadband Within State Highway Rights of Way (Caltrans’ procedures). [1:20 pm]

• Encroachment permit process (Asif Haq)
• Project delivery process (Malcolm Dougherty)
• Wireless facilities process (Bimla Rhinehart)

[Break 2:20-2:30]

III.            Overview of CPUC role in deploying broadband along highways, and in coordinating fiber deployment with Caltrans. [2:30-3:00] (Jack Leutza) 

• Overview of CPUC’s actions related to broadband deployment (CASF, DIVCA)
• Deviations for installing communications facilities along scenic highways

IV.            Statements from Interested Industry and Local Government/Public [3:00-3:30]

• Opportunity for public comment.  Please contact Public Advisor’s office at (415)703-2074 for questions or more information.

V.              Roundtable Discussion: Barriers to Conduit Expansion within ROW.  [3:30-4:00] (open discussion moderated by CPUC Commissioner Chong)

• Are there barriers to conduit expansion with the existing process?
• If so, how can we improve the current process?
• Are there ways to facilitate conduit deployment during state construction projects, including where market demand does not exist?

VI.            Wrap-up