Gideon Alcon, with HDD Cactus, operates a horizontal directional drilling machine on Thursday, drilling under U.S. Highway 160 at Elmore’s Corner so that fiber optic cable can be connected to existing fiber. The connection will complete phase one of the Tribal Broadband Modernization Project that connects fiber optic from Three Springs to Ignacio. The second phase will begin running fiber to residents in Ignacio and rural areas in the county. The tribe’s long-term plan is for broadband to be made available to anyone within the Southern Ute Indian Reservation boundary and/or within range of one of the towers. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
A spool of conduit that will carry fiber optics from Elmore’s Corner to Ignacio and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
