US Signal's New Middle-Mile Build: What It Means for Real Estate and Construction in Ohio and Indiana
US Signal is actively building more than 1,000 miles of new, high-density fiber and multi-conduit infrastructure across Ohio and Indiana. Backed by a $200 million investment from Igneo Infrastructure Partners in 2025, the company has about 30% complete and targets full route completion by early 2027.
This is new construction, not an overbuild. The focus is middle-mile routes that connect core data centers and enable future edge data center sites along key corridors-built for AI, cloud, and next-gen workloads.
"Many providers talk about future builds. We're building now," said Daniel Watts, CEO at US Signal. "This is brand-new infrastructure; new conduit, new fiber, and new routes, designed from day one to support the massive capacity requirements of AI, cloud, and next-generation workloads."
"Our customers, from hyperscale-adjacent enterprises to regional service providers, need infrastructure that won't cap out in five years," added John White, COO at US Signal. "By combining high-count fiber, multiple conduits, and strategic data center connectivity, we are building a foundation that scales with demand."
Why this matters to developers, GCs, subs, and municipal partners
- Site pipeline: New fiber corridors often precede edge data center development. Parcels with proximity to these routes gain value-especially where power availability, reliable cooling options, and favorable zoning intersect.
- Permitting and ROW: Multi-conduit systems typically require coordinated permitting, traffic control plans, rail/utility crossings, and utility locates. Expect a mix of open cut, microtrenching, and HDD depending on corridor constraints.
- Construction scope: Opportunities span directional drilling, vault/handhole placement, hut/regeneration sites, make-ready, restoration, and long-haul splicing. Experienced QA/QC and as-built documentation will be in demand.
- Municipal coordination: Dig-once policies and joint-trench opportunities can lower long-term street impacts. Align corridor work with water/sewer replacements and streetscapes to minimize repeat disturbances.
- Industrial and flex conversions: Older assets with strong power potential and truck access along these routes can be repositioned for edge compute, network hubs, or staging/logistics for ongoing fiber builds.
- Risk management: New-build fiber reduces legacy constraints but adds schedule risk around permits, material lead times, and third-party crossings. Early stakeholder mapping helps keep timelines intact.
Middle-mile, in practical terms
Middle-mile fiber links core networks and data centers, then branches toward last-mile providers. It's the backbone layer that determines capacity, diversity, and latency options for future commercial and industrial projects. For a concise primer, see the NTIA's overview of the middle-mile program here.
Project timeline and how to engage
Approximately one-third of the network is already in place, with remaining routes scheduled through the beginning of 2027. If your projects sit along likely corridors in Ohio and Indiana, now is the time to review zoning, interconnection options, and street-opening calendars, and to pre-qualify subcontractor teams for trenching, HDD, and restoration.
US Signal will be at MetroConnect 2026 from Feb 23-25 for further discussions. The company continues to expand its national footprint with dark fiber, lit services, and colocation-connected solutions as part of a multi-phase strategy across the Midwest and beyond.
About US Signal
US Signal is a national digital infrastructure provider delivering network, colocation, cloud, and data protection services. The company connects core data centers and supports edge-ready routes designed for AI-era capacity and performance.
About Igneo Infrastructure Partners
Igneo is an autonomous investment team within First Sentier Group, investing in mature, mid-market infrastructure across renewables, digital infrastructure, waste, water, and transportation/logistics in North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Igneo manages US$22.5 billion of assets as of August 31, 2025.
Media contact: Laura Pursley, Senior Director of Marketing, US Signal - laura.pursley@ussignal.com, 616-901-0675
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