Fiber Installation on the Three Mile Bridge in Pensacola, FL [Gulfstream™ 400]
If at first you don’t succeed – put your trust in Condux.
Beyond quality cable installation equipment, we are proud of the support we provide all the way to the jobsite. With many years of experience in this industry, and a network of trusted partners, we provide a superior level of technical support that can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful cable installation. It goes beyond our equipment; we can help plan, define and prep the jobsite so that our equipment can perform.
The Three Mile Bridge
Here’s a quick recap of a unique fiber installation project to demonstrate. The Pensacola Bay Bridge, commonly known as the Three Mile Bridge, (and perhaps also known as the project that never ends), connects Pensacola Florida with Gulf Breeze via Hwy 98. In the Fall of 2020 this project was nearly complete, after almost 10 years in the making – that is until Hurricane Sally hit harder than expected and significantly damaged the newly constructed bridge, and the fiber that was installed.
Prior to the Hurricane, this $430 million project was expected to be complete late 2021. Fast forward to late 2022 and Cox Cable is just now getting their fiber put back in it’s intended location underneath the bridge.
Fiber’s Journey on the Pensacola Bay Bridge
Not only does the bridge have a unique story, but the fiber installation has been anything but seamless (until now). Two years ago, prior to the arrival of Hurricane Sally, Accelerated Communications & Construction (ACC) was blowing in fiber with some difficulty. The number of couplers used and another manufacturer’s fiber blower presented challenges that had them resealing two-piece couplers and chasing air leaks to get the fiber installed.
Then, Hurricane Sally hit and the barges that remained in the bay from construction tore down portions of the bridge, including the fiber. So as an interim solution ACC had to splice the 288 fiber and lay it on the bay floor; they couldn’t hang it back on the bridge at that point because 3 sections of the bridge and conduit were missing.
Back to 2022, the Pensacola Bay Bridge is back up and running. As part of the repair, 4” galvanized steel duct with 1.25” HDPE duct inside was installed under the whole length of the bridge, where ACC could install Commscope 288 single armor single, jacket fiber (around 0.90” in diameter).
Turning to Condux International
Blowing Fiber Under the Pensacola Bay Bridge | Fall 2022
With a scheduled maintenance window on a Monday at 11 PM, where access would be turned off to everyone in Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach for the switch over, it was critical the fiber installation work be completed successfully. For this second fiber installation, ACC turned to Power Tel Utility Products Inc., a rep for Condux International, to support their cable installation needs – from an equipment standpoint, and for support on the ground (actually, the water). Using 2-piece couplings and the Condux Gulfstream™ 400 Fiber Optic Blower, the 5-person crew installed 20,000’ of fiber in 2 days.
Note on the Importance of Couplings: Standard couplings typically used in this type of installation (rated at 230 PSI) couldn’t be used because there wasn’t enough space in the small junction boxes used for the 4” galvanized duct for their push-on installation. So the crew had to accommodate their space constraints with two-piece couplings rated at 200 PSI. Knowing that the initial fiber install challenges were due in part to improper coupling installation (and an inability to hold pressure in the duct), the contractors paid special, careful attention throughout installation to ensure the couplings would hold their rated 200 PSI.
Here’s how it unfolded:
Install Day 1 (Thursday – 4 days before scheduled go-live): The crew met the 20,000’ reel of 288 fiber, the Gulfstream™ 400, and other necessary equipment on the barge, which was set mid-way along the bridge. With the access point 60’ straight up from the barge, they set up to blow 10,000’ of fiber south through 8,600’ of duct; this segment had 3 couplings along the route, which was a concern based on the last installation effort. But, with new 2-piece couplings in place, they installed the fiber with no issue.
Install Day 2 (Friday – 3 days before scheduled go-live): To install in the opposite direction they unwound the fiber and figure eighted it on the barge so they could access the other end. With only one coupling about 4,000’ into the pathway, there were no concerns about pressure loss for this stretch of duct. The final 10,000 feet of fiber were installed into 6,900’ of duct to complete the fiber installation along the length of the Three Mile Bridge.
Accelerated Communications & Construction invested in the Gulfstream 400 for this specific installation project. Because of the timing and critical nature of the bridge construction project as a whole, it was imperative that the equipment performed at go-time. Together Condux and Power Tel Utility Products Inc. designed the equipment configuration and installation pathway for successful fiber blowing, and supported ACC through to the very end.