GFiber Labs announces first project: 20 Gig with Wi-Fi 7 3 years ago
I lived in Louisville when this happened, and met the guy who came in second place for Louisville portion of Google Fiber.
1. Yes, the microtrench became a disaster, because the material they used to cover the drench stuck to people's tires when it was hot outside and it pulled up. Paving over it would have solved the problem
2. Google chose to hire a lawyer to run the project. The second place guy had installed fiber his entire life, had personal relationships with the people that owned the right of ways to connection poles (ISP). The ISP folks did not like the lawyer and did not work with him and that's why it really died. (according to mr. second place)