The City of Ellensburg, Washington, has bagged the 2015 Community Broadband Award for Project of the Year from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors or NATOA. The award recognizes Ellensburg’s telecommunications utility for its innovative use of Esri‘s geospatial technology in the design and construction of a city-owned fiber-optic network. Ellensburg IT and GIS staff used Esri ArcGIS software in the initial phase of the project to develop maps detailing the existing and proposed network for all city sites. The team’s GIS strategy also helped reduce time spent in the field.
– The maps proved to be critical for contractors to develop accurate bids
– Ellensburg’s new fiber-optic network spans 25 miles overhead and 2 miles underground
– Improvements costing a total of $200,000 were incorporated into the initial design
