SALISBURY — Typically, right-of-way encroachments for tasks such as fiber-optic installation are held on the Salisbury City Council’s consent agenda. However, Manager Jim Greene Jr. asked for an encroachment request for nonprofit MCNC’s HERO project to be put on the regular agenda so that the council could discuss the statewide project.

The HERO, which stands for High-speed Economies for Rural Opportunity, project is a federally-funded project that aims to extend its fiber-optic network, the North Carolina Research and Education Network, by 209 miles. The extensions would follow two routes, from Albemarle to Winston-Salem and from Sanford to Jacksonville. The project plans to bring broadband access and greater affordability to 11 counties, which according to MCNC include 16,000 unserved and 12,000 underserved housing units.

“This is a project that is all about bringing connectivity to overlooked unserved and underserved residents across North Carolina,” said James Nester, MCNC chief marketing officer and director of client advocacy.

The organization asked for right-of-way encroachments for the installation of fiber-optic along Old Concord Road, Jake Alexander Boulevard South, East Innes Street, North Main Street, North Long Street, Horah Street and Rowan Tech Road. Salisbury Traffic Engineering Coordinator Vickie Eddleman said that the line will be underground as it enters the city limits on North Main Street and will extend underground until the West Kerr Street intersection, where it will overlap existing aerial telecommunication lines. The fiber-optic would remain aerial until reaching the East Horah Street portion of the installation, where underground installation would be utilized until the line exits the city limits on West Innes Street, heading towards Granite Quarry.

According to a map on MCNC’s website, the installation would continue east along U.S. 52 through downtown Granite Quarry and Rockwell until exiting Rowan County near Richfield.

“This is a federally-funded project to provide technology and security services to school systems, government entities and sub-commercial entities. This (project) will install fiber-optic utility in areas where gaps exist and where fiber is the only option possible for its networks. In Salisbury, the primary goal is to connect the public school system and the community college,” said Eddleman.

Nester said that MCNC is taking the detour onto Rowan Tech Road in order to provide connectivity to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College as part of the nonprofit’s mission to provide connectivity to all 58 community colleges in the state. The organization also has an agreement with the state to provide connectivity options to all 115 school districts in North Carolina.

To answer Councilor Harry McLaughlin’s question about potential interruptions the project could pose to city residents, Nester said that there will likely be a minor impact to traffic in areas where contractors are working. He said that MCNC will make efforts to ensure that residents in the area will be notified so there are no surprises.

Eddleman detailed the requirements that MCNC was required to fulfill for the project, which included that they are required to be bonded for $20,000, to show that there will be no possible conflicts with city services such as the water facilities or office buildings, provide a list of contractors and possible subcontractors, to repair any damages caused and to follow sidewalk and street standards during repairs. MCNC has provided an estimated six-week timeline for the Salisbury project and will also be required to hold pre-construction meetings with all relevant city departments prior to beginning any work.