Project Name:

Fiber Optic Cable Emergency Repair Over the Mississippi River

Client:

A major investor-owned utility in the South.

Project location:

Baton Rouge, LA

Project Scope:

To secure a damaged fiber optic cable and prevent it from falling into the Mississippi River

Challenge:

A fiber optic cable stretching between two towers and located more than 400 feet in in the air was identified as damaged and in need of emergency repair. The cable spanned both a major roadway and the Mississippi river and the damaged portion of the cable was more than 30 feet away from the closest tower. The cable needed to be reached from the ground while monitoring shipping traffic and wind speeds while traffic on the nearby road was rerouted.

Solution:

ULCS secured mat padding on which to place a 300-ton lattice boom crane with a 476-foot boom and a man-basket to reach the damaged portion of the cable. The padding prevented the crane from sinking into the ground while ULCS employees reached the cable and secured it, ensuring it would not snap and fall.

Outcomes/Status:

The plan, devised by ULCS field leadership and the client and performed by ULCS crews, led to the successful repair without incident.