The Port of Woodland is currently applying for additional funding that would allow us to connect more homes to our existing fiber optic network, currently operational between Ariel and Cougar. You are receiving this postcard because our records indicate your home or business is either new or you were not connected to broadband during our previous Ariel to Cougar project. We want to get you connected! If you are not yet connected and want to be, please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DarkFiber and fill out the information requested. If we are awarded funding, we will contact you with more information about the project and when we will proceed with connecting your neighborhood!

Below is a current list of providers leasing from the Port. Additional providers will be listed upon approval by the Port Commission.

The Port of Woodland is investing in dark fiber infrastructure within the Port district to enhance economic development opportunities.

CONSTRUCTION NOTIFICATION 63/24-6/21/24:

The following areas are proceeding with construction activities for the Ariel to Cougar Fiber to the Home. If your property is along these following service areas, you may notice locates, equipment, and contractors.

• Fiber Service Area 5 (Cougar) waiting for feeder fiber
• Fiber Service Area 4 (Yale) Drop lines and aerial crews start 6/10. Underground after 6/10.
• Fiber Service Area 3 Rock boring needs to be completed for Bald Eagle Road, Central Valley Road, Elk Lane and will be complete after second week.
• Fiber Service Area 2 N. Dubois Road drilling underway, vaults being set.
• Fiber Service Area 1 (Ariel) Locates are being called- work beginning possibly tail end of schedule. Awaiting approvals from PacifiCorp to start.

In 2013, a study led by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments and completed by ICF International, investigated the needs of State Routes 503 and 504 in Cowlitz County. It was concluded that for future economic development opportunities to exist, it was critical that improvements to broadband services needed to be expanded. In 2016, the Port of Woodland conducted two study areas for expansion of dark fiber infrastructure: the Woodland Bottoms and from the city limits of Woodland through to Cougar.

Did You Receive a Letter?

If you received a letter from the Port, your property has been identified as in the future phase 2 service area. Please contact the Port with your name, address and best contact (phone and email) so we can provide the information to our consultant for the design portion of the Phase 2 project. Currently, there is approximately a 52-week wait for available fiber optic material once ordered. All of the connections to the sites within the service area will need to be designed, engineered and measured to order the material. We anticipate given the fiber optic scheduling backlog issues, that connections will not occur until sometime in 2023 unless production of materials increases substantially nationwide.

If you believe you are in the service area but did not receive a letter from the Port, please contact us with your information and we will contact you if you are within the project area.

PHASE 1 – Backbone

In Port Commission authorized the request to apply for state CERB funding in 2020 for the Phase 1 Ariel to Cougar backbone route. Funding was awarded in summer of 2020. The project includes design of pole attachments and underground construction along the route, locating vaults and connections to vital infrastructure and buildings, and construction services. Phase 1 is directly along SR 503/ Lewis River Road. Limited connections will be made in 2022 to those along the route and have already been contacted about connection design and engineering.

PHASE 2 – Fiber to Home

In 2021, the Port Commission authorized the request for CERB/federal funding for Ariel to Cougar Phase 2 Fiber to “Home”. This project was awarded funding in July with a $1.9 million grant with $400,000 match funds from the Port. Currently, the Fiber to Home project is delayed due to the uncertain federal requirements that would be required to meet per the funding source. Once the Port receives the guidance of the federal funding requirements, the Port will be able to determine a proper path forward.

Phase 2 routes were developed with the assistance from Cowlitz-Skamania Fire maps. The following maps identify the addresses in the phase 2. If your address is not within the map area, please email the Port with information for review. The Phase 2 project will take fiber up roads and drives to the parcel line. We will not enter individual parcels to connect your home. The project will allow for the closest “last mile” connection for businesses and residents to contract with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to connect the utility to your home or business. this will significantly reduce the cost to the end user.

IS YOUR PROPERTY WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA?

• Ariel to Cougar Phase 2 Fiber to “Home” Map

The Port of Woodland contracted with Petrichor LLC to provide design and project management services for the project. Below is the Phase 1 Backbone schedule of tasks and timelines associated to the Ariel to Cougar project: