Dynasty Construction Helps Bridge the Digital Divide in Mississippi
In its early years, Dynasty Construction primarily collaborated with notable utility corporations. However, with the increased allocation of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds, a significant shift in their clientele has occurred.
The BEAD Program, part of the 2021 Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), addresses the digital divide with a substantial fund of $42.45 billion. The program’s mission is to provide high-speed internet to underserved communities across all U.S. territories, a crucial step in today’s digital age.
Mississippi is one state capitalizing on these resources and other government initiatives. In 2023, the state received $1.2 billion from the BEAD program, significantly improving internet access statewide. In 2020, as the second-largest recipient of the FCC’s Rural Development Opportunity Fund (RDOF), Mississippi received $495.7 million to establish internet infrastructure for 218,990 sites over a decade. The RDOF has set deployment milestones for the third to sixth years.
A significant portion of the RDOF funding in Mississippi was allocated to broadband subsidiaries of rural electric cooperatives. Out of the 25 electric cooperatives in the state, 17 are developing their broadband branches. Fourteen of these companies received $73,239,000 from the 2020 COVID-19 Broadband Grant Program, established by the Mississippi Legislature with CARES Act funding.
To ensure timely completion, these programs have several deadlines. This has led everyone involved to scramble for qualified resources and machinery to transform plans into reality.
Ready to Contribute
Billy ‘Blue’ Cleveland has dedicated most of his horizontal directional drilling (HDD) career to installing critical infrastructure in the United States. In his early years, Blue was involved in pipeline projects both nationwide and internationally. At that time, the industry was new to everyone.
“We all aimed to make this innovative trenchless method of installing pipelines successful, which required extensive planning and explaining the concept of HDD to project owners,” he said.
In 2001, Blue and his wife, Tammy, established a company that grew to be one of the largest HDD businesses in the Southeastern United States. They sold this business in 2014.
Afterward, Tammy pursued other interests, including raising their sons, while Blue remained involved in the company until September 2021. After that, the Clevelands officially retired and spent their time hunting, fishing and farming.
About four months into retirement, the Clevelands started to miss the friendships they had formed over the years in the HDD industry. They also recognized the statewide need for quality HDD crews to help build the necessary infrastructure for universal broadband connectivity.
“One day, we were sitting in the living room, and I suggested to Tammy that we start another venture,” Blue explained. “I knew about the ample local opportunities, and honestly, I wasn’t ready to retire. After discussing it for a while, I reached out to a few contacts and decided to proceed.”
Tammy was fully onboard with the idea and excited about rejoining the industry. “We’ve missed the people,” she admitted. “This industry means a lot to us. Over the years, we’ve built numerous friendships here. I had only one condition: that we grow at a steady, manageable pace.”
With Tammy’s support, Blue reached out to their long-standing friend, Bryan Strickland. Together, they laid the foundation for Dynasty Construction Services, officially launched in March 2022.
Kickstarting Operations
Dynasty Construction’s next step was to contact Ryan Merchant at Vermeer MidSouth to assemble their equipment fleet.
“In the post-pandemic period, contractors struggled to find drill rigs. However, the team at Vermeer MidSouth swiftly located a used 2019 Vermeer D20x22 S3 HDD for us. A few months later, they also secured a new D20x22 S3 drill and a D24x40 S3 drill. This allowed us to start operations quickly,” Blue explained.
Since then, Dynasty Construction has expanded its equipment with two more D20x22 S3 drills, a Vermeer CV573GT trailer vac, two Vermeer LP573XDT trailer vacs and a Vermeer SPX25 vibratory plow.
In addition to acquiring equipment, Blue enlisted 12 HDD professionals he had previously worked with. This team has since expanded to a group of 25.
Dynasty Construction typically operates five drilling crews alongside tie-in and restoration crews. Most of their work involves installing fiber, from rural fiber backbone to subdivision work, and connecting homes and businesses to the network.
Although most of their projects are carried out within a few hours of their headquarters in Newton, Mississippi, they are licensed to work across states from Texas to Georgia.
How Machinery Contributes to Project Execution
With the increased allocation of BEAD funds, a significant shift in Dynasty Construction’s clientele has occurred.
“We’ve begun to attract considerable attention from cooperatives,” Blue commented. He reveals that partnerships with various cooperatives have commenced, and they are now launching projects with local telephone corporations. “We’ve completed three or four projects so far,” he reported.
Blue explained that the majority of their work involves bore depths between 4 ft and 20 ft, accounting for approximately 85 percent to 90 percent of their projects. However, they have tackled projects with depths up to 70 ft, the deepest they’ve gone.
Additionally, crews use Vermeer trailer vacuum excavators to locate potholes ahead of drill crews and to manage fluids during drilling.
Fiber Project on the North Side of Jackson
Dynasty Construction is currently laying the foundation for a fiber network near major roadways on the north side of Jackson, Mississippi.
“The right-of-way space is limited,” Blue stated. “We’ve brought in our D20x22 S3 drills. We’re installing around 5,000 ft of conduit, doing 500 ft to 600 ft segments at a time. We perform a substantial amount of work in this area. Jackson is one of the state’s older parts, with many old utilities. While most of these have been located by the city, some date back to the 40s and 50s. Extra care is needed to locate these.”
Dynasty Construction’s teams are headed by seasoned crew members who have worked in the region before. They are familiar with what lies underground and the material they are drilling into.
Throughout his career, Blue has kept meticulous records of all sites his companies have drilled, documenting challenging conditions and obstacles encountered. This detailed record-keeping proves beneficial when his teams work on other projects in the area, helping avoid utilities and choose the correct tooling and drilling fluid mixture.
“The toughest material we typically encounter here is hard clay. Occasionally, we might find shale. The Vermeer MidSouth team has consistently done a great job equipping us with the right HDD tooling for any conditions we face. For this project, we’re using Vermeer premium dirt housing and a Vermeer Ace Pro bit. As for drilling fluids, we’re using a simple bentonite and water mixture,” Blue explained.
Merchant from Vermeer MidSouth visited the site to check in and commented on Blue’s invaluable mentorship to the industry over the years. “Every current and former employee I’ve worked with refers to Blue’s driller’s bible. His knowledge of the regional conditions is unparalleled in the business, which has significantly benefitted numerous other individuals,” he stated.
Merchant also expressed his gratitude to Blue and Tammy for coming out of retirement to help build the state’s infrastructure for high-speed internet, reaching everyone from rural areas to underserved markets. “Everyone benefits from their expertise. Blue has trained numerous individuals in the industry about the correct way to do things, which benefits the entire industry.”
Success Factors of Broadband Expansion
The experiences of Dynasty Construction, led by Blue and Tammy Cleveland, underline the significance of having a skilled team, reliable equipment and a measured approach to broadband expansion.
Their dedication, demonstrated by their return from retirement to contribute to this mission, showcases the passion that drives successful infrastructure projects.
Mississippi’s ambitious broadband expansion, fueled by various programs and initiatives, is a monumental task. It requires not just significant funding but also dedicated workers, the right equipment, and a commitment to the mission.
Blue’s advice on controlling the pace of work resonates in this context — it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Madison Devin is a brand experience specialist at Vermeer Corp.
