Rail MassDOT Knowledge Corridor Fiber Optic Cable Project

Massachusetts Department of Transportation is soliciting bids for supply, installation, and testing of a fiber optic cabling system on the Knowledge Corridor Rail Line (approximately 50 miles of active railroad spanning Springfield to Northfield) under IFB Proposal No. 616371-133765, with bids due August 27, 2026 and a mandatory pre-bid meeting on July 16, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

The project covers fiber optic cable installation within 1.25-inch innerduct and 2-inch spare innerduct, conduit routing, pull boxes and handholes, signal house connections, bridge crossings, at-grade road crossings, and comprehensive testing and as-built documentation. Work spans station numbers STA 5+50 to STA 2605+50 across ten municipalities including Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Northampton, Greenfield, and Northfield. Key technical requirements include fusion splicing of fiber optic cable only at handholes, maximum pull box spacing of 2500 feet, minimum 36-inch clearance from track bottom to conduit top, compliance with MBTA railroad clearance standards, and hand digging to verify underground utilities prior to mechanical excavation. The contractor must obtain all necessary approvals from authorities having jurisdiction, conduct required testing, repair any infrastructure damage at no cost, and maintain continuous railroad operations throughout construction. At-grade crossings require directional drilling, trenching, or plowing depending on road surface and ownership. Signal house and station connections include CPR-1 at Clinton Street in Holyoke, Northampton Station, and Greenfield Station with fiber patch panels and lateral cable installations. MassDOT will supply certain materials; the contractor installs and tests them.

The pre-bid meeting is available in person at the MassDOT South Deerfield Office or via Microsoft Teams webinar. MassDOT will provide a 360-degree video of the project corridor for remote participants. Questions submitted through the Commbuys procurement channel during the designated Q&A period receive official written responses binding to the procurement. Contact Rachel Burckardt, Project Manager at WSP USA Inc., for webinar registration inquiries.