Colorado DOT trailblazes new outdoor DAS, fiber routes

As reported by the Denver Post's Howard Pankratz, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently completed a fiber-optic project through the state's Clear Creek Canyon region that now provides cellphone and radio coverage into an area where it was previously unavailable.

The agency said it entered into an agreement in 2012 with wireless infrastructure provider Crown Castle International Corp., which installed fiber-optic cabling and a distributed antenna system (DAS) consisting of 31 microcellular sites along U.S. 6 between the town of Golden and Interstate 70, and along Colorado 119, from U.S. 6 to the town of Black Hawk.

See also:National codes bolster public-safety DAS installations

CDOT said that in addition to providing cellphone service for the traveling public, the new fiber-optic lines allow the agency to provide other services through the canyon. These include electronic message signs for providing real-time information on highway conditions; closed circuit cameras, allowing for real-time traffic conditions to be relayed to travelers; and a digital radio system, providing 2-way radio services for emergency response.

They system will also provide a road- and weather-information gathering system, supplying CDOT maintenance with road surface information, reports the Post's Pankratz.

Full Story:Clear Creek Canyon communications upgraded(denverpost.com)

See also:Hidden network of cables will help city stay in the loop