Chesapeake - The Southside Network Authority (SNA) signed an agreement with Danella Construction, Inc., for the construction of a 119-mile Regional Connectivity Ring (RCR) through the five cities of the Southside Hampton Roads region. The southside ring is Phase I of a regional fiber network that will interconnect with the subsea cables that have come ashore in Virginia Beach and spread ultrafast broadband service throughout the Hampton Roads region. The signing of this agreement marks the culmination of just over two years of work by the SNA, which was created by the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach in November 2019.
SNA Chair and Chesapeake City Council Member Susan Vitale noted, "We are pleased to be able to partner with Danella Construction and to be at the point where we can place shovels in the ground. When complete, the RCR will be an open-access network that will enhance the availability and affordability of internet in the Hampton Roads region.”
"The Southside Fiber Ring is the first phase of a broader regional network that will interconnect the region's seventeen local governments to the ultrafast, subsea broadband cables in Virginia Beach," noted SNA Board Vice-Chair and Norfolk City Council Member Andria McClellan. "Connecting to the fastest speeds on the east coast will be transformational to our region and future economic development."
“Connecting the SNA fiber to the subsea cables already extended to Virginia Beach will significantly expand economic development opportunities for the entire region,” added Rosemary Wilson, Virginia Beach Vice-Mayor and SNA member.
Through a project participation agreement, the five southside cities each committed $5 million, for a total of $25 million, to finance the construction of the fiber ring. The Authority is contracted with Columbia Telecommunications Corporation (CTC) to perform construction oversight as the SNA’s engineering partner. In addition, the Board is negotiating with Global Technical Systems (GTS) from Virginia Beach for the potential operation and maintenance of the fiber ring.
Due to the regional nature of this project, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission has been providing technical and staff support to the Southside Network Authority since its inception.
A groundbreaking ceremony will take place in April, and the SNA anticipates RCR construction to begin in May 2022. More information on this planned groundbreaking will be provided in the coming weeks.
