26PP-123 ARPA Multi-Tenant Communications Towers & Cellular Data Services

Background
New Castle County commissioned a mobile coverage study to identify gaps in cellular service and recommend potential locations for new cell towers.
The goal is to enhance mobile connectivity for residents and visitors, supporting public safety, economic development, and quality of life.
This study addresses the critical need for reliable mobile service, particularly for emergency communications like 911 calls, especially with the transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911) which demands higher bandwidth.

Work Details
The contractor will conduct a comprehensive analysis of mobile coverage across New Castle County, focusing on four major mobile service providers.
The work includes:
1. Driving approximately 80% of the roads in the county to collect data on mobile voice and data signal strengths using specialized testing equipment.
2. Identifying geographic areas with poor coverage and mapping these areas.
3. Recommending five optimal locations for new cell towers based on criteria such as existing fiber proximity, zoning regulations, population density, topography, and road access.
The recommended sites are:
- Middletown-Odessa-Townsend Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (810 Old Corbitt Road, Middletown)
- Back Creek Drive (112 Back Creek Drive, Middletown)
- Wiggins Mill Park (488 Wiggins Mill Road, Townsend)
- Old County Road (3180 Old County Road, Newark)
- Bonyare Park (0 Deergrass Road, Hockessin).

Period of Performance
The project is expected to be completed over a period of three months from October 24, 2022 to January 24, 2023.

Place of Performance
The work will be performed throughout New Castle County, Delaware.