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Broadband Infrastructure

On December 3, 2021, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published the Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Final Rule to Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations Part 645. In this document, FHWA “aim to facilitate the installation of broadband infrastructure.”
The requirements of the State are as outlined below:

  • 645.307(a)(1) requires that the State DOT, in consultation with appropriate State agencies, identify a broadband utility coordinator who is responsible for facilitating the infrastructure ROW efforts within the State.
  • 645.307(a)(2) requires the State DOT, in consultation with appropriate State agencies, to establish a registration process for broadband infrastructure entities that seek to be included.
  • 645.307(a)(3) requires the State DOT, in consultation with appropriate State agencies, to establish a process for electronically notifying broadband infrastructure entities identified under § 645.307(a)(2), on an annual basis, of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and providing other notifications as necessary. FHWA assumes that to comply with this provision, States will create an electronic notification process, update their utility accommodation policies to include this new process, and also notify broadband companies of these changes, as discussed in the preamble to the proposed rule. See 85 FR at 49330.
  • 645.307(a)(4) requires that the State DOT, in consultation with appropriate State agencies, coordinate initiatives under Section 607 of the MOBILE NOW Act with other statewide telecommunication and broadband plans and State and local transportation and land use plans, including strategies to minimize repeated excavations that involve broadband infrastructure installation in a ROW. FHWA assumes a statewide coordinator will carry out these responsibilities, as discussed in the preamble to the proposed rule. See 85 FR at 49330.

Broadband Infrastructure Coordination Registration

Please fill out the form below to register as part of the Vermont Agency of Transportation's Broadband Infrastructure Coordination process.

To comply with FHWA’s Final Ruling, as outlined above, this process for Broadband Companies registers you to receive information about Vermont AOT’s STIP on an annual basis. The current STIP can be found here by clicking HERE.