Colorado slashes broadband expansion rates along roadways

As part of an effort to accelerate the expansion of high-speed internet access, Colorado officials announced that broadband service providers can install fiber along the state’s roadways at a lower rate. The Colorado Transportation Commission approved a fee schedule that makes the Colorado Department of Transportation’s property available for broadband development. Under the new fiber access fee schedule, broadband providers can pay $0.10 per foot of fiber optic line in urban counties with populations above 200,000 people and $0.03 per foot in rural counties. There is also a one-time charge of $0.05 per foot to cover permitting costs. The fee schedule is the lowest in the region and is 90 percent lower than the initially proposed version.