TERRE HAUTE —
Frontier Communications has reached an agreement with city officials to create a Wi-Fi “hotspot” covering much of downtown Terre Haute.
The zone, which will allow free Internet connections for a limited number of users, will reach as far north as Union Hospital, as far south as Poplar Street and as far east as 10th Street, said Marc Evans, regional general manager for Frontier, who spoke to the Terre Haute Board of Public Works and Safety on Monday. The western boundary of the zone would be approximately U.S. 41; however, it could eventually extend all the way to the Wabash River, Evans said.
Chou-il Lee, city attorney, said he originally objected to the proposal because Frontier planned to mount its Wi-Fi transmitters on public traffic signal poles and then charge users for the service. However, Lee dropped his objections when Frontier agreed to provide free Wi-Fi service within the zone for up to 100 users at a time.
The free service will have a “significantly slower” Internet speed than the service Frontier will make available for a fee, Lee said.
The “hot spot” could be operational by Memorial Day, Evans said.
Also Monday:
• The board gave its approval for the sale of the city’s Cherry Street parking garage/transit facility to Indiana State University.
The Department of Redevelopment is selling the facility to ISU for $4.85 million, which will be used to pay down much of the city’s outstanding debt on the structure, said Cliff Lambert, executive director of the Department of Redevelopment. Remaining debt of approximately $1.4 million will be paid using taxes collected in the city’s downtown “tax increment finance” district, he said.
The city will retain approximately 18,000-square feet of space in the facility for use by the Terre Haute Transit Authority.
Two city employees who operated the garage will be laid off as a result of the sale. Three others will keep their jobs, said Brad Miller, director of the Terre Haute Transit Authority.
The 626-space parking/transit structure opened in 2008 at a cost of $16 million. Of that, $8.9 million came from the federal government and the rest from loans through the Department of Redevelopment.
ISU officials have said purchasing the garage would help the university meet a growing need for parking due to higher enrollment and the planned relocation this year of the Scott College of Business to the former Federal Building at Seventh and Cherry streets.
• The board approved plans to spend $122,000 to repair a deteriorating sewer line that runs from approximately Ninth Street to Seventh Street under Cherry Street. A remote camera revealed cracks along the top of the aging sewer, said Gary Loudermilk, an official with the Terre Haute Wastewater Utility, who spoke to the board. The sewer repairs, which will consiste of a lining on the inside, will take about two weeks to complete, he said.
• The board OK’d street closings for the upcoming March of Dimes walk on April 28 and the Komen for the Cure event set for late September. The board’s street closing committee did not formally meet Monday. However, the committee should have a report by the next meeting on Feb. 27, said Bill Lower, Board of Works president.
The committee has been attempting to set new guidelines for closing streets for special events and festivals since late last year.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Downtown gets Wi-Fi ‘hotspot’
Frontier, city agree to free Internet zone, with limits
- Local & Bistate
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Rose grads honoring late president Branam at commencement today
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Vigo County Jail Log: May 26, 2012
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Letters delivered
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Schools surpass goal for Riley
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Historic preservation proposal discussed during open forum
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Search on for Gibault walkaway
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Graduate college in four years? ISU ‘guarantees’ it
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The closing of St. Ann Parish: Shuttered parish will help others live on
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Foreclosure lawsuit questions dog mayor
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TB case cause for concern, not panic
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Dr. John Bolinger said the suspected TB case at Woodrow Wilson Middle School “is a concern,” but Vigo County and state health departments “are there to handle situations like this. They’ll do the right thing.” -
Woodgate residents considering legal action
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