Questions about construction

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We do our best to inform communities by mail of the entire construction process  prior to the arrival of our construction team. However, the City and contractors will access the utility easement area of your property to mark existing utilities and communication lines before construction can begin. They are not required to provide notice of their flags or markings ahead of time.

The flags or markings on your property were placed there by the local utility companies and help our team identify where the lines are underground. When fiber construction begins, we will use these markings to protect against damage to your property and utilities. Please see the list below for an explanation of utility color associations.

White: proposed excavation
Pink: temporary survey markings
Red: electric power lines, lighting cables or conduit
Yellow: gal, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials
Orange: communication cables and conduit, alarm and signal lines
Blue: potable water
Purple: reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
Green: sewer and drain lines

Utility flags or markings are good for 17 business days in Nebraska. If construction has not been completed in that time, the area will need to be re-marked. Please do not remove flags, as this will prolong the construction process. 

The main line in the easements and rights-of-way are buried between two and four feet deep. The fiber drop to the house or pedestal may vary between 12 and 18 inches deep.

The conduit ranges in size from ¾ inch to 1¼ inch. ¾ is the standard size for a drop to the home. Conduit standards in an easement is 1¼ inch. 

This is a temporary fiber drop. Our team will return soon to establish a permanent and less intrusive location for the cable. Weather can sometimes play a role in this process. If delays occur, go to the Winnebago Broadband Construction website for an updated timeframe on permanent drop construction. If your fiber is installed during winter months when the ground is frozen, you may have a temporary drop until the spring. If your existing utilities are underground, construction will follow the same path. 

We are placing pedestals in the easement in your yard. The pedestal, weather permitting, is installed shortly after the ground is prepared and a fence is placed around the hole for safety. The pedestal houses the equipment to provide service to several homes and businesses in your area. Our intent is to leave your property the way we found it. 

A utility easement allows a utility company the right to use and access a specific area of your property for constructing, operating and maintaining gas, electric, water, and sewer lines. We will work with the Tribal Council/City/Villages to access these areas as we build our fiber network. The easement is often a permanent restriction on the property so that it transfers ownership with the home or property when sold. Having an easement gives the utility company the right to use the land, but they do not own it. 

A right-of-way is the space above and below any property in the Tribal Council/City/Villages in which the City has an interest as an owner or trustee as it relates to public travel. This includes public streets, highways, roads, alleys, easements, sidewalks, tunnels, viaducts, and bridges. 

There are a few ways to determine the easement area of your property:

1. Review the deed to the property, which can be obtained from the county clerk or recorder. The easements will be explained in the legal description of the property.

2. Contact the zoning or mapping department of your county or city. These departments are in charge of keeping records of surveys and plot maps and can help provide information about an easement on your property.

3. Reach out to the utility company — or any entity with easement rights — to request the easement information regarding a certain property.

4. Hire a title insurance company or private title searcher to perform a search for easements. They are often able to provide a comprehensive report for a fee.

During the design phase, the engineering team determines the most efficient way to provide service. They select the least intrusive intersecting rear property point, which is often in the center of four property corners. From that point, the pedestal location is identified based on the following factors: 

1. Existing underground utilities.
2. Location of the underground conduit that will feed the pedestal.
3. Proximity to other pedestals.
4. Landscape features and/or obstructions.
5. Ease of accessibility for crews to construct and maintain the network.

Marking sprinklers in advance of construction is certainly helpful but not mandatory. If your sprinkler is damaged, please complete the Construction Form on our website to ensure the issue is corrected.

Residents should always have access to their driveways during construction, though there may be times when equipment is being moved that access is impeded for a short time. 

The public right-of-way is the grassy area located between the curb and approximately one foot behind the sidewalk. This area is owned by the Tribal Council/City/Village and is where much of the construction will take place, underground. 

This will be specific to each location. Construction will be maintained within easement boundary lines. If items need to be moved, a Tribal contact will reach out to the resident or property owner. 

The seed variety is fescue blend, which has proven to be the most successful for this particular climate zone. 

The contractor is required to repair all disturbed areas once work is completed. Seeding and mulch will also be used in the right-of-way. If permanent seeding can’t be completed within the seeding dates specified in the contract, then temporary erosion control measures (hydromulch) will be used until permanent seeding can be completed. Permanent seeding dates are scheduled to take place city/village wide during two separate intervals: April 15 - June 15 and August 10 - October 15. 

No, you will be able to set your garbage out just as you normally would. Mail delivery should not be affected.

Please complete this Construction Form.   

Inspectors are hired to manage the subcontractors who help build the infrastructure needed for the Winnebago Broadband Fiber Network. They will take care of any damage. 

The contractor is required by law to use a locating service to locate all other utilities in the area before digging. With construction, there is always a possibility that service lines could be damaged and a temporary disruption could occur. The contractor is required to have a licensed plumber on site for any water service disruptions during construction. For all other utilities, the contractor would notify the company if a utility is damaged and needs immediate repair. 

Any damage claims will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the City. If after reviewing, it is determined that the contractor was responsible for the damage, the contractor will make repairs at their own expense.