Credit: Brett Duffey/NewtownPANow.com
At a May Newtown Borough Council meeting, officials announced that fiber optic work being undertaken by technology company Lightpath in the borough will remain paused.
This is due to residents and borough representatives seeking additional answers regarding the company’s proposed installation plans along Washington Avenue and State Street.
The council moved the discussion to the beginning of the meeting so residents interested in the issue would not need to wait through the full agenda.
Borough officials explained that construction activity approximately two weeks earlier had generated concerns among residents.
“This has to do with the topic that the council president was referring to about Lightpath and the fiber optic cable activity that happened about two weeks ago on Washington Avenue,” Borough Manager Craig Totaro said.
Officials said the borough had already convinced the company to temporarily stop work after earlier construction activity and then pushed for greater communication with residents affected by the project.
“We had been working in the background to compel them to have some kind of public outreach that would include a public meeting as well as a website splash page to communicate and answer any of the questions that folks may have,” Totaro said.
The borough announced that Lightpath agreed to host a public meeting on Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. at the American Legion building on Linden Street.
Officials said company representatives would answer questions from residents affected by the proposed installation route.
“All work will continue to be paused until this meeting and further,” Council President Emily Heinz clarified.
Officials explained that the project affects portions of public right-of-way adjacent to private properties and said residents located along the proposed path would receive mailed notices announcing the meeting.
“There’s a letter up here,” Totaro said. “It’s going out tomorrow.”
The borough website was also updated with both the meeting notice and an informational page about the project.
Resident Joe Lovi asked council to negotiate larger infrastructure improvements in exchange for allowing the work to proceed.
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Lovi framed the fiber optic project as part of future artificial intelligence and data infrastructure expansion.
“This is all for AI,” Lovey said. “This is the future.”
Lovi argued that borough officials should think strategically about how the work is completed and suggested placing conduits beneath streets instead of disturbing private properties.
“They shouldn’t be digging up anybody’s property,” Lovi said. “They should dig up the streets.”
Lovi also suggested the borough seek concessions from the company, including sidewalk and curb improvements.
“At the end of the day, let them put in our sidewalks and curbs,” Lovey said. “This is a win-win situation.”
Other residents throughout the meetng pushed for more communication, long-term planning and stronger negotiation strategies involving public infrastructure.
The council acknowledged that both residents and the borough still had unresolved questions about the project.
