Colo. Will Have Lowest Roadway ROW Fees for Broadband in Southwest

The Colorado Transportation Commission aims to streamline broadband deployment on state land along roadways with a new fee schedule for accessing the right of way, the department said Dec. 20. Colorado will have lower rates than surrounding southwest states, it said. The schedule charges an annual property use surcharge and a one-time permitting fee, “set as low as possible to only cover some administrative costs,” the department said. The method is akin to what the U.S. Forest Service uses for accessing federal lands, it said. Broadband providers annually will pay 10 cents per foot of fiber optic line in urban counties with populations exceeding 200,000 and 3 cents per foot in rural counties. Also, they will pay a one-time charge of 5 cents per foot to cover permitting costs. “The Transportation Commission has heard the perspectives of local communities throughout the state as well as industry concerns, and the proposal that we approved today offers greater opportunities for broadband development, competes favorably with our neighboring states on costs, and meets the state’s existing legal obligations to care for the public land under our responsibility,” said Transportation Commission Chair Karen Stuart.