Maryland-based telecommunications infrastructure provider Harbor Link Holdings LLC announced it has begun construction on a new fiber-optic infrastructure build connecting the cities of Alexandria and Ashburn, Virginia.
According to a press statement, the license agreement issued by the city of Alexandria allows for an eight-way fiber infrastructure, augmenting Harbor Link’s 60-mile conduit build along I-95 and MD RT-97, which began construction in January 2022.
Similar to the I-95 and MD RT-97 route, the company said this new duct features conduit for fiber-optic cables to enable multi-path, high-speed connectivity across the greater Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia markets.
The underground infrastructure system will provide local and long-haul dark fiber capacity with easy access points to enable connectivity in order to connect data centers and bridge the digital divide for underserved communities.
Potomac River Crossing initiative
The new Alexandria fiber duct will play a significant role in Harbor Link’s Potomac River Crossing initiative, connecting Washington DC and Baltimore, to the Northern Virginia region, bolstering connectivity between Arlington, Alexandria, and Ashburn with diverse and redundant routes.
The company notes the Northern Virginia region is home to the world’s largest data center and network connectivity hub and is a highly coveted corridor with limited access to fully redundant and diverse dark fiber – raw data pipes that can be lit and serviced by providers and private network operators for enhanced data transmission and security.
Harbor Link’s stated vision is to connect various underserved regions throughout Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia via a brand new and fully diverse single continuous network route.
Felix Dialoiso, founder and CEO of Harbor Link Holdings LLC, commented:
“We’re very excited to have construction underway in Alexandria. Our vision for a fully redundant and diverse open network system serving Baltimore to Virginia is now underway. We anticipate an explosion of development in the Mid-Atlantic region over the next five years, and Harbor Link’s dark fiber network conduit system is at the forefront of enabling even more expansion in that market.”
Harbor Link is also partnered with Harbor Peak Network Solutions LLC, who is building a 6-mile ring in the Ashburn, Virginia region, allowing easy access to the area’s data centers. The company is offering flexible lease-agreements on monthly or long-term indefeasible rights of use agreements (IRU’s).
Scheduled completion of construction in Alexandria is estimated to land within the fourth quarter of 2023.