Middle-Mile Broadband Network Hub Shelters No. 1 & 2

The California Department of Transportation, in coordination with the California Department of Technology, is moving forward with the construction of two middle-mile broadband network hub shelters along State Route 299 in Trinity County, specifically between post miles R3.4 and 3.9, and between post miles 47.4 and 48.5. The project, classified under NAICS code 237130, involves building concrete foundations and shelters measuring approximately 20 feet by 16 to 25 feet, installing pull and splice vaults, laying high-density polyethylene conduit and fiber optic cable, trenching for electrical and fiber lines, and equipping each site with a 1,000-gallon propane tank and a 60-kilowatt generator to ensure uninterrupted power. Additional work includes fencing, gates, and service enclosures, with all excavated material reused on-site to minimize environmental disturbance. The shelters are intended to transmit and amplify broadband signals to support connectivity to third-party last-mile networks, expanding high-speed internet access to underserved communities in California. The project is enabled by statutory exemptions under Public Resources Code Section 21080.51 and is categorically excluded under 23 CFR 771.117(c) and (d) per the FHWA-Caltrans Memorandum of Understanding, eliminating the need for formal environmental permits while still requiring adherence to environmental commitments documented in the District-Prepared Categorical Exclusion Checklist and Environmental Commitment Record. No traditional contract clauses from the Federal Acquisition Regulation are included, and no pricing, evaluation factors, or solicitation numbers are provided, indicating the procurement process is in a preliminary forecast phase. Inspection and acceptance are to occur on-site by Caltrans personnel, with compliance verified through alignment with CEQA, NEPA, and DTSC soil management requirements rather than conventional construction quality standards. Key oversight is managed by Dotrik Wilson, Branch Chief and Senior Environmental Planner, and Steve Rogers, Project Manager/DLA Engineer, both based at Caltrans District 3 in Marysville. The initiative is funded under Senate Bill 156 with federal-aid considerations, though the Federal-Aid Project Number is not specified, and no formal contract value or invoicing procedures have been disclosed.