The Holland (Michigan) Board of Public Works (HBPW) has built one of the most
advanced open-access fiber networks in the upper Midwest, delivering gigabit
connectivity to residents and businesses across the city. HBPW had previously
constructed and operated fiber for its internal use and quickly began serving local
anchor institutions and business customers; its expansion to citywide service
followed a decade-long partnership with CTC, beginning with a feasibility analysis in
2015 and continuing through construction oversight today.
CTC has helped with:
Business planning and financial analysis, spanning
market research, feasibility studies, and financial pro
forma development
Engineering and design, encompassing field surveys,
route engineering, and final design documentation
Procurement support, including bid package
preparation and contractor evaluation
Construction management, from owner’s
representative services to on-site inspection and
as-built documentation review
Through field-verified cost estimation, future-proof
architecture design, strategic materials procurement, and
on-site construction oversight, HBPW built infrastructure
designed to meet community needs well into the future.
Field-verified cost estimation mitigated the risk of overruns
Accurate cost estimation matters because it determines
whether a project stays on budget. Underestimating costs
leads to funding shortfalls, project delays, and eroded
public trust. Overestimating costs can prevent worthwhile
projects from moving forward at all.
CTC’s approach relies on field verification rather than
generalized unit pricing. For Holland, CTC engineers
conducted a combination of desk reviews and on-site
surveys examining utility pole space, pole conditions, and
underground construction challenges. Engineers
developed a system-level design and generated GIS-based
map data for each network layer, from backbone fiber
routes to service drops for each address.
This work produced cost estimates on a per-phase basis
that proved largely accurate during construction. The
detailed design also enabled HBPW to order materials in
advance of contractor procurement, avoiding delays from
long lead times.
Future-proof architecture maximized HBPW’s network value
Network infrastructure represents a multi-decade
investment. Design decisions made today determine
whether a network can adapt to technology changes
and growing demand over its full useful life.
CTC designed Holland’s network to support both GPON
and Active Ethernet services, allowing HBPW flexibility
in its open-access model. The architecture anticipated
transitions to emerging standards such as XGS-PON
and NG-PON2.
The design incorporates redundancy through the
backbone network, leveraging existing HBPW fiber and
equipment enclosures to create resilient pathways
between neighborhood hubs. This distributed
approach limits the number of customers affected by
any single infrastructure failure.
High fiber strand counts and the ability to deliver
services from multiple geographically diverse hubs
provide flexibility to serve varying customer needs,
from dedicated enterprise services to residential gigabit
connections.
CTC’s 2021 design ensured the network could expand
to serve other communities in the future while
maintaining vendor neutrality.
Strategic materials procurement addressed supply chain risk
Global supply disruptions have made materials
availability a critical constraint on fiber deployments
nationwide. Projects that wait until contractor selection
to order materials risk significant delays.
CTC recommended that HBPW procure materials in
advance of the design-build contractor procurement
process. This guidance, informed by CTC’s experience
with municipal deployments across the country, enabled
HBPW to secure fiber and equipment before market
conditions tightened. Our approach helped ensure that
project timelines remained under HBPW’s control
regardless of when contractor selection occurred.
Construction oversight has held contractors to specifications
Design quality means little if construction does not match
specifications. Poor installation leads to performance
problems, premature failures, and costly repairs.
CTC has maintained a regular presence in Holland during
construction to inspect work in progress, review as-built
documentation, track expenditures, and manage risk
factors. CTC works directly with HBPW’s construction
contractor to identify and resolve deficiencies and
unforeseen challenges.
Our quality assurance process includes field validation of
as-built data; our engineers verify pole attachment
clearances, confirm slack loop cable lengths and proper
bend radius, verify bonding and grounding, and confirm
the accuracy of location data for outside plant assets.
A decade of partnership, from feasibility study to citywide construction.
2015 – CTC evaluated HBPW’s existing fiber infrastructure, developed cost estimates for an expanded
fiber-to-the-premises network, and analyzed multiple business and financial models.
2016 – Following positive feasibility findings, HBPW engaged CTC to provide engineering
services for a downtown pilot deployment covering approximately 4 miles of fiber
routes serving 300 potential customers.
2021 – CTC updated cost estimates and developed a network concept document to guide
community decision-making. This led to a public vote to fund construction of
a citywide open-access fiber network.
2022 – CTC conducted outreach to material supply vendors and advised on HBPW’s
pre-construction material procurement to mitigate supply chain hurdles and
enable construction to begin as planned.
2023 – CTC assisted HBPW in drafting an RFP for the selection of a design-build partner
to construct approximately 200 miles of fiber reaching an estimated 16,000 passings.
Construction began later that year.
2026 – CTC continues to provide owner’s representative services and construction oversight for the citywide deployment, which is expected to near completion by the end of December 2026.
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