The Marshall County Commissioners received an update on the Metronet project during their meeting Monday morning from USI representative Bart Trester.
“The city portion – they’re not going to start until June,” said Trester. The county portion – they’re doing layout work this week and construction will begin next week.”
The Marshall County Commissioners signed several documents Monday morning to get the Metronet project closer to the beginning phase.
The interlocal agreement with Marshall County and the City of Plymouth was signed by the commissioners which will go on to the county council to be signed. County Attorney Jim Clevenger explained that a local board will need to be formed to oversee operations. A commissioner, city council member, county council member, and a representative from the private sector will need to be appointed to this board.
Bids were opened for the Metronet project in Marshall County.
The Plymouth Redevelopment Commission opened five bids for the work, plus alternates for work to be done involving piping down Pine Road east and west and on State Road 17, plus lateral installation to buildings and to the county buildings.
The Marshall County Commissioners opened seven bid packets for general work for the infrastructure and conduit.
Clevenger stated that rights of way need to be acquired for the project and much of that needs to be taken care of in South Bend.
The Marshall County Commissioners will send a recommendation to the county council for funding to support the Metronet project.
St. Joseph Valley Metronet will be laying down a fiber-optic network infrastructure from St. Joseph County to Plymouth with the cost being split between the county and the City of Plymouth. St. Joseph County, South Bend, the City of Plymouth and Marshall County are paying for the conduit for the project while other entities are paying for the telecommunications cable.
A fiber-optic infrastructure will soon be making its way to Plymouth, thanks to a tentative commitment by the Marshall County commissioners with St. Joseph Valley Metronet.
Metronet is a company currently providing fiber connectivity to South Bend and Mishawaka, and if everything goes according to plan, they will soon be providing high-speed bandwidth to companies in Marshall County at competitive prices. The company will lay a fiber-optic network infrastructure in the area at an estimated total cost of $2.2 million, and that hefty price tag covers the creation of the infrastructure but the actual fiber will be paid for and owned by Metronet.
