Fiber optic plans move forward for Tippecanoe County and the City of Lafayette

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - High-speed fiber optic plans for the city of Lafayette and Tippecanoe County are moving along.

The Lafayette Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to allow an engineering study to get underway for the fiber optic system. This system will provide citizens with high speed internet, cable, and telephone services.

The resolution set up a TIF district that is not set in a certain geographical area.
    
The TIF includes the area in which the fiber optic cables are actually laid. The company behind the fiber optic system, Cinergy Metronet, will purchase a bond to begin initial work on that engineering study.
    
Lafayette Economic Development Director Dennis Carson said this project will not be financed with the public's money.

"There's no risks for us, so even if they don't put the infrastructure in, they're still obligated to pay that bond so they'd have to find another source to repay that. So, we're not, the city does not have to repay that, they do," said Carson.

The engineering study is expected to take several months.