Fiber-optic-line project set on City Council calendar

If approved, lines to be installed to new Vista Canyon community as part of new transportation system

The City Council on Tuesday night may greenlight a project that would add fiber optic lines from Lost Canyon Road to the new Vista Canyon community, as part of the city’s efforts to create an intelligent transportation system on Santa Clarita’s roads.

If the council approves the proposal, a construction contract would be awarded to International Line Builders, Inc. in implementing the cable to connect along Via Princessa toward the new community, according to Assistant Engineer Ramiro Fuentes.

“It will be expanding the city’s capabilities to that corridor,” said Damon Letz, division manager of capital improvements.

Installing the fiber optic lines will enhance the signal communications network “for future bus and train station communication needs” and “implement an adaptive system with capabilities to measure performance of the traffic signals on select routes for the city to better optimize the timing on the routes,” according to the city staff’s agenda report.

This plan will be the fourth phase of the intelligent transportation system, which monitors traffic data and improvements for signal safety and communication.

Funding for the project would come from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. International Line Builders, Inc. would receive a total contract amount of approximately $272,000.

The decision on the fiber optic lines’ implementation is on the council’s consent calendar for Tuesday’s meeting, so it would not be discussed in the meeting unless a council member pulls it from the consent calendar.

If passed, the installation of the fiber optics would not affect traffic along Via Princessa on the way to Vista Canyon.

“We will use a directional boring operation,” Letz said. “Most of the work will be along sidewalks during normal working hours.”

The fiber optics project is also supportive of the Santa Clarita 2020 plan of “Building and Creating Community.”