With progress there’s often pain. In recent days and likely into next week, pain for some traveling along Bridgeport’s Main Street corridor has involved being stuck in traffic.

 

It’s all part of Bridgeport’s “Gigaport” project that will eventually provide high speed internet throughout the city. The multi-million dollar infrastructure project, headed by Bridgeport-based Citynet, right now is having fiber installed along the corridor – U.S. Route 50 – by Gudenkauf Corporation out of Columbus, Ohio.

 

While that means the super high speed internet is beginning to go into more areas, Citynet Vice President Drew Pomeroy admits it’s not going as fast as was hoped. However, he hopes inroads will be made.

 

“Obviously, it’s behind schedule from where were wanted it to be and we’re doing what we can to get where we want to be because we know the demand is there,” said Pomeroy. “My email still blows up daily from people wanting to know when it’s coming and where it’s going next.”

 

Before getting to where it’s going next, Pomeroy explained the issues that has the project a bit behind. He said getting a reliable contractor, which he believes they have found in Gudenkauf, is one issue while finding vendors for products and even bad luck have all played a part in the slower than hoped roll out.

 

“We’ve got multiple crews out right now and we also have our first area finished as being online even though we can add more,” said Pomeroy.

 

Rosewood Heights is finished and online and Pomeroy said the reviews from that area have been strong. He said work in Briarwood and South Hillis is partially complete, but that should be done soon.

 

“The cable is sitting by the lakes and we’re setting the new poles this week. You can see things adjacent to the road heading toward Briarwood. We’ll start turning service up there in a short time period,” said Pomeroy.

 

Already, work has been done inside homes in those subdivisions that will allow easy tie in with the outside work when it arrives. While that work is being done, Citynet and their contractor is working on looping what is a “core network” area where sections will eventually be connected.

 

“We have the cable leading to the high school, down Lodgeville Road and also have it going from the lakes all the way to Oliverio’s Restaurant at the intersection of Route 131 and Route 50,” said Pomeroy. “That will complete the core area and allow us to go to the next areas.”

 

So where is it headed next?

 

Pomeroy said Crystal Ridge, Heritage Farms and also multiple neighborhoods adjacent to Johnson Avenue that head back toward Lodgeville Road, which is near the initial test area off of Johnson Avenue. Those areas include, but aren’t limited to, Valley Drive, Village, Easy Street, Olde Farm, Garden Circle and others.

 

“As promised, we’re not picking these randomly. These area are areas that have the highest pre-signup rate and we said we would go to the areas that want it the most first,” said Pomeroy. “When you go to the Web site to sign up you can easily see the areas that have the most population for signing up. We are still seeing signups every single day.”

 

The entire project will see 90-plus miles of fiber in the Bridgeport community that will make its way into homes. Going into homes has proven to be a “delicate issue” that has led to some delays.

 

“It’s a different animal than just making a repair on a utility pole. People are working and we have to get into their homes to set this up so you just can’t knock on a door and keep going,” said Pomeroy. “This doesn’t mean we’re not going to get it available for everyone, but it means that if you’re not in areas with the high signup rates that you’re not going to get it as fast as others.”

 

The $5 million includes a $3 million loan secured from the West Virginia EDA. A $2 million loan, which was most recently closed, was secured from MVB utilizing the Bridgeport Development Authority as the agency to acquire the loans.

 

Citynet will be responsible for repaying the loans. It will be paid for by those signing up for and using the service. Citynet, not the City of Bridgeport or the BDA, will bear the risk for the loans.

 

The "Gigaport" project is a play on words. It combines the gigabit speed in conjunction with the name Bridgeport. Bridgeport is the first city in West Virginia to initiate a project of this nature. Pomeroy has said this will provide internet service 100 times faster than anything currently available in Bridgeport.

 

Click HERE to sign up for Gigaport to help your neighborhood move up on when it will receive the service.

 

Editor's Note: Workers with Gudenkauf Corporation are shown doing work along Main Street in recent days.