Sugar Land, TX – Sugar Land City Council recently approved a contract to purchase materials for the High Site Communication Improvements project.
The project is part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP identifies capital projects; provides planning, design and construction schedules; and identifies financing options. The program allows for a fiscally responsible approach to infrastructural and residential needs.
City staff applied for and was awarded a Federal grant that provides 80 percent of the funding for these improvements, with the city providing the other 20 percent of the funding for the purchase of High Site Communications equipment and materials. Sugar Land City Council recently approved the resolution for an Advanced Funding Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation as required for the acceptance of the federal grant funds.
The high site upgrades will improve the city’s wireless network, which is pivotal in supporting citywide connectivity for systems that support the license plate recognition cameras, traffic signals, corridor timing and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition communications among the utility system and operators. It also provides a safe and remote way to monitor the utility plants, improving the city’s service level and maintaining a high quality of life for the residents. These improvements directly impact traffic and public safety in the city, a top priority identified by citizens in the 2020 Citizen Satisfaction Survey.
“Through the CIP, the city is able to carefully plan for needed improvements, like replacing and upgrading hardware for the city’s network,” said Assistant City Manager Chris Steubing. “These upgrades are not only a responsible investment, but they will make Sugar Land an even safer place to live.”
Now that the contract is approved, the fabrication and procurement of the hardware will begin in late spring 2021, with installation beginning in summer 2021.
More information about the FY20-24 CIP Program can be found at https://www.sugarlandtx.gov/1770/Capital-Improvement-Program.