Lightpath announces new long-haul US fibre route
Author: Joe Peck
Lightpath, a New York-based fibre network and connectivity provider, has announced plans to build a new long-haul fibre route in the US, connecting Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois.
The approximately 392-mile (630-kilometre) route will include 327 miles (526 kilometres) of newly constructed underground multi-conduit fibre infrastructure spanning three US states.
According to Lightpath, the project will be delivered in phases, with full end-to-end completion targeted for the end of 2028.
The company says the route will connect two rapidly growing North American data centre markets and will incorporate eight LightCube Data Centers facilities, including seven new sites.
Lightpath states that the infrastructure will support services including conduit access, dark fibre, colocation, high-capacity wavelengths, and connectivity services for hyperscale, carrier, and enterprise customers.
New long-haul route for AI infrastructure growth
Chris Morley, CEO of Lightpath, comments, “The Columbus-to-Chicago corridor reflects sustained hyperscale demand for high-capacity, long-haul fibre built to production-grade standards.
“Connecting two of the world’s fastest-growing data centre markets on our own, purpose-built infrastructure positions Lightpath to support the next generation of AI and cloud workloads at scale.”
According to the company, the new route builds on existing fibre infrastructure in Columbus and follows its acquisition of a 323-mile (520-kilometre) fibre system between New York and Ashburn in late 2024.
The southern section of the route, connecting Columbus and South Bend, is expected to be the first phase brought online.
Tim Haverkate, Chief Commercial Officer at Lightpath, suggests, “Building this corridor from the ground up – on a timeline driven by a real anchor award – demonstrates what our team is capable of delivering.”
Lightpath says it is also assessing additional in-line amplifier locations along the route to support future capacity expansion.
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