Fiber Optic Installation Project To Impact Newtown Borough

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — Just when one utility construction project is winding down, another appears to be on the horizon in Newtown Borough.

While many of the details are still not known, borough officials confirmed on Wednesday that PennDOT has given a company called LightPath the permits it needs to install underground fiber optic cabling through the borough.

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Construction is expected to include directional boring and excavation activities, which will be confined to the PennDOT right-of-way either on the sidewalk or in the grassy area next to the sidewalk, borough officials are reporting.

The work is slated to take place on the north side of Washington Avenue from the borough line to State Street, the west side of South State Street from Washington to Centre Avenue and then on the south side of Centre Avenue from South State Street to the Newtown Township line.

“When the work does happen, I’m told it happens pretty quickly,” Borough Manager Craig Totaro told members of council at its May work session.

The fiber optic lines are being installed throughout Lower Bucks County in connection with a new data center being built in nearby Falls Township, Totaro told council.

Data centers are facilities that house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems, which are needed to handle the large amounts of data being produced by artificial intelligence.

Totaro said the node slated to be installed through the borough is coming into town from the east and is one of many that will be going in up and down the East Coast connecting data centers to users.

“It’s like they are putting in underground I-95’s of fiber,” he said.

During the meeting, council members expressed frustration over the lack of notification being provided to the borough and its residents and said they would be asking the company to provide the borough and residents with more details ergarding the project and to attend a meeting to brief the public on the work and its impact.

Since Wednesday’s meeting, the borough is reporting that following outreach by borough officials, State Senator Steve Santarsiero, and State Rep. Perry Warren, the project has been paused while additional coordination occurs with PennDOT, the borough, and project representatives.

“The Borough was not provided accurate advance notice regarding the initiation and timing of the work activities and has expressed concerns regarding project communication, resident notification, traffic impacts, emergency access coordination, and the scope of work occurring on residential properties,” the borough said in a posting on its website.

Before the project moves forward, the borough is requesting "improved public communication and coordination measures, including a public information session, direct notification to affected property owners and residents, and detailed project information and schedules.”