Road Runner Planning & Consulting/PAFIBER.COM Begin Negotiations to Install 360 Miles of Fiber Optic Cable Along The Pennsylvania Turnpike.

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 29 /PRNewswire/ --

Road Runner Planning & Consulting/PAFIBER.COM has commenced negotiations with The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to install a fiber optic network along its right-of-way. The initial phase of the project will provide the Turnpike Commission with its own Fiber Optic Cable Network covering the 360 miles of the turnpike from Ohio to New Jersey.

"We have assembled an outstanding team of experienced professionals in the telecommunications and construction fields that convey the cutting edge of developing technology. The Networks will use cable and transmission equipment which will be supplied and warranted by Lucent Technologies, Inc., an industry leader in fiber optic networks," said Gary Reinert, president of PAFIBER.COM. Reinert added, "By using a single supplier for the Networks, we can be assured that all equipment incorporated within the Network is designed and warranted for integrated use and that interface problems will not exist. In addition, since Lucent has total responsibility for maintenance of the Networks, any complication that may occur would be resolved quickly and efficiently."

The network design provided by Lucent Technologies includes state-of-the-art Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) transmission equipment, configured in a highly reliable self-healing folded ring topology. The SONET equipment is capable of Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) intervals of hundreds of years, and has performance monitoring capabilities that closely track real time system performance. The network is designed in compliance with national telecommunications standards to insure interoperability with the widest variety of communications technologies and will support a broad range of state-of-the-art applications.

The proposal includes three phases for construction and installation of the Networks. During Phase One, raceways will be constructed in approximately 360 miles of the Turnpike's right-of-way for the mainline Turnpike (I-76/276). One forty-eight-fiber cable will be installed in the raceway for the Turnpike Network, along with additional fiber cables for the Commercial Network. This initial phase will take approximately 15 months to complete. Phase Two will occur during the following two years. During Phase Two, the Turnpike's Network will be installed, tested and turned over to the Commission. The raceway along the mainline Turnpike will have the capacity for additional fiber cables. "Preliminary studies indicate these fibers are very marketable and they will be sold or leased for commercial use. Phase Three of the Project will commence in the fourth year and its scope will be determined by the responses from potential customers," said Reinert.

Phase Three includes the expansion of the Networks to the Northeast Extension (I-476) of the Turnpike (which runs from Montgomery County to north of Scranton in Eastern Pennsylvania), the Beaver Valley Expressway (Toll 60), the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass (Toll 66) and the Mon-Fayette Expressway (Toll 43) all located in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

PAFIBER.COM is a team primarily of Pennsylvania-based companies.

-- Lead respondent, Road Runner Planning & Consulting, a Pittsburgh-based

organization with expertise in organizing, scheduling and managing

field activities for general/electrical construction, will be the

overall Project Manager.

-- A&L, Inc. an unlimited capacity, PennDOT prequalified contractor

located in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, has personnel highly

experienced in both highway construction and utility installation.

A&L, Inc. will be the Construction Manager.

-- Lucent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: LU) designed the Networks. Lucent

Technologies is a leading supplier of fiber optic cable and will

perform all splicing, termination and testing activities with respect

to the fiber optic cable. Lucent is an industry leader in design,

manufacture and installation of transmission equipment. Lucent will

install its transmission equipment and provide maintenance services

for the Networks.

-- Power Contracting, a certified Minority Business Enterprise and

PennDOT prequalified contractor located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,

has personnel highly experienced in both highway construction and in

fiber optic installation. Power Contracting will perform excavation,

raceway installation, fiber optic cable installation and other

construction activities.

-- Stargate Industries, LLC, a rapidly growing Pittsburgh-based multi-

state company, will provide marketing and administrative services for

the Commercial Network.

-- GAI Consultants, Inc. an architectural/engineering firm with offices

in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, will provide engineering, geotechnical

and quality control support for the Project.

For additional information on this Project, please visit them on the web at www.pafiber.com.