Agenda Date: 05/20/2025
Subject:
Title
Resolution 45-2025: Approving a Construction Contract with TAK Broadband, LLC for the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project, City Project No. 21-37
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Brent Soderlin, Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Brent Thompson, City Engineer |
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Matthew Matuszewski, CIP Manager |
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Presentations: |
N/A |
PURPOSE:
Approving a Construction Contract with TAK Broadband, LLC for the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project, City Project No. 21-37.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Safe Community; High Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
The City of Littleton’s Public Works Department is responsible for the operations and maintenance of traffic signals within the city, including signal timing and signal phasing. Fiberoptic communications are necessary to securely and rapidly communicate between traffic control systems and the traffic signal control network. Traffic safety through the city is critical as highlighted in the city’s Transportation Master Plan. Traffic congestion and traffic signal operational efficiency are issues that routinely and adversely affect many citizens and rank high on topics of concern in community surveys.
The City of Littleton’s safety, communications and operational success requires a reliable, secure and high-speed fiber network. The City of Littleton operates many buildings and traffic signals throughout its municipal boundaries. An interconnected fiber network, whether connecting to facilities or traffic signals, provides frequent and reliable communications with these infrastructure assets and city staff, including emergency services.
This proposed fiber communications upgrade project on Littleton Boulevard will establish new fiberoptic connections for the City of Littleton and Arapahoe County to accommodate future shared traffic operations and traffic management information. The proposed route will provide fiber on West Littleton Boulevard, connecting ten traffic signals, one pedestrian signal, and one emergency signal to the Littleton Center and existing fiber backbone in Broadway. A separate connection to the County Line Road and Erickson Boulevard signal will be constructed, connecting to the existing CDOT fiber on Santa Fe Drive. A third segment included in this project will extend the fiber network south on Datura Street from Littleton Boulevard, connecting five city facilities including the Littleton Museum, Littleton Museum Collections Building, Littleton Municipal Courthouse, Littleton Center and Bemis Library. The installation of this new fiber network will eliminate the need for the city to lease fiber from Comcast, which currently costs the city about $5,000 per month.
The City of Littleton advertised an Invitation for Bids for construction of the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project. The formal solicitation for the project closed on April 18th and all bids were reviewed for completeness and accuracy. TAK Broadband, LLC was identified as the lowest and most qualified bidder. Approval of this resolution would authorize a contract with TAK Broadband, LLC for construction of the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project, City Project No. 21-37.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Littleton’s safety, communications and operational success requires a reliable, secure and high-speed interconnected fiber network. The City of Littleton operates buildings and traffic signals throughout its municipal boundaries. Whether connecting to facilities or signals, a well-built fiber network provides reliable communications with other infrastructure assets and facilities, including emergency services. The traffic signals rely on communications and are critical to traffic safety, as highlighted in the Transportation Master Plan. Establishing an interconnected fiber network for municipal and emergency management services use ensures that the city and its partners can provide rapid and reliable communications throughout their networks to keep staff informed and the public safe.
The Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project serves as the next segment in the backbone fiber system identified in the Transportation Master Plan and Fiber Master Plan, which identify the need for Intelligent Transportation Systems technologies along key transportation corridors. This fiberoptic project will allow staff to undertake traffic signal equipment upgrades along Littleton Boulevard, connect to the fiber installed as part of the first phase of the Broadway Fiberoptic Project completed in 2024, and further the city’s inter-agency collaboration. Future fiber installation projects are planned in the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan on the southern segment of Broadway to C470 (2027).
Key project elements include:
• The installation of fiber optics will provide reliable and efficient communication for the upgraded signal equipment along Littleton Boulevard from Rio Grande Street to Broadway.
• The equipment currently operating the four signalized intersections within the project area is outdated, preventing the ability for safety upgrades. The upgraded equipment will provide more consistency throughout Littleton for improved maintenance and management of the signal system.
• This project will not only enhance the communication network but aims to develop redundancy of the City’s traffic communication network. The addition of fiber along this segment of Littleton Boulevard is a key step in creating a complete fiber loop around the city, allowing staff to maintain communication with its traffic assets while repairs are being completed in the event of unintentional fiber damage. This means that even if one section of the fiber is cut, communication can still be maintained through alternative routes within the fiber loop. This feature significantly improves the resilience and reliability of the communication system, ensuring uninterrupted communication between the traffic signals and the Littleton Central Traffic Control System in the Littleton Center.
• This project will provide access to a larger fiber traffic communication network for the jurisdictions connected in the first phase of the Broadway Fiberoptic Project (Littleton, Arapahoe County, and Centennial), and make further steps towards a vision of a future regional traffic operations center.
The Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project is divided into three tasks.
• The first task will splice into the existing fiber backbone on Broadway at West Littleton Boulevard, install fiber cable on West Littleton Boulevard from Broadway to Rio Grande Street, then proceed north to the Littleton Center and Arapahoe County Building.
• The second task will extend the fiber network south on Datura Street from Littleton Boulevard to the Littleton Museum, Littleton Museum Collections Building, and Bemis Library.
• The final task will splice the new fiber into the Colorado Department of Transportation’s fiber backbone along Santa Fe Drive in order to connect the County Line Road and Erickson Boulevard signalized intersection.
This proposed communications upgrade project will continue installation of fiber connections for the City of Littleton and Arapahoe County to accommodate future shared traffic operations and traffic management information. The project will extend the reach of the fiber network installed with the Broadway Fiberoptic Project completed in 2024.
There are 432 strands of fiber installed along the alignment of the completed Broadway Fiberoptic project. Arapahoe County and the City of Centennial will be allowed to access this fiber, the details of which are outlined in a separate agreement. The 432 fiber strands will also be installed on the Littleton Boulevard Project. As part of access to this new fiber on Littleton Boulevard, Arapahoe County has agreed to contribute funding towards the project. A separate agreement with Arapahoe County will be brought before council at a future date which will outline the details of cost sharing and fiber sharing.
Prior Actions or Discussions
The construction of this project has not previously been discussed with city council.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The proposed construction contract with TAK Broadband, LLC for the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project is $586,370.00. Arapahoe County is contributing $116,279.00. The city costs of $470,091.00 will be funded from Transportation Impact Fees.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution approving a construction contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
The alternative for approval of this resolution would be to reject the construction of the project. This would postpone connectivity of high-speed fiber to the city’s and Arapahoe County’s transportation and facilities assets. Currently, Littleton and the County rely upon lease agreements with fiber providers, which are costly and less reliable than a private City and County network.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Resolution 45-2025 approving Construction Contract with TAK Broadband, LLC for the Littleton Boulevard Fiberoptics Installation for Traffic Operations Project, City Project No. 21-37.