The proposed 130 miles of new fiber will enable open-access middle mile connectivity and enhance grant funds for local isps and existing carriers to increase their speed to market and provide route…

This $23,422,236 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under the Middle Mile (Broadband) Grant Program (CFDA 11.033) will support the construction of approximately 130 miles of new open-access fiber middle mile infrastructure. The purpose is to enable diverse broadband connectivity and enhance last-mile service delivery to residential and business customers across 13 localities in South and Central Virginia. Key deliverables include building 8 open-access middle mile fiber segments to provide critical broadband connectivity and diversity for economic development, serving 32 industrial and business park sites, and ensuring redundancy in telecommunications networks to protect commerce and public safety. The funding will enable technology-driven businesses to provide high-paying jobs in the region.

Activities

The applicant plans to construct approximately 130 miles of new fiber will enable open-access middle mile connectivity and enhance grant funds for local isps and existing carriers to increase their speed to market and provide route diversity for their last-mile broadband service to residential and business customers. IT will enable technology-driven businesses to provide high-paying jobs in the existing industrial and business parks in the region. The applicant expects to build eight (8) open-access middle mile fiber segments to provide critical broadband connectivity and diversity for economic development purposes to thirteen (13) localities in the commonwealth of virginiaexpected outcomes: the goals and deliverables of the proposed project are as follows: 1. Build eight (8) open-access middle mile fiber segments to provide critical broadband connectivity and diversity for economic development purposes to thirteen (13) localities in the commonwealth of virginia. 2. Provide open access middle mile diverse fiber infrastructure to a total of 32 industrial and business park sites in eleven localities.3. Ensure redundancy in telecommunications and broadband networks to protect commerce and public safety in all eight localities.4. Build telecommunications infrastructure that will support technology-driven businesses that provide high-paying jobs in the existing industrial and business parks in the region.

Intended beneficiaries

The proposed network will serve thirteen localities in southside and central virginia through eight segment routes. In rural southern virginia, grant funding to develop infrastructure is essential for connectivity. There are fifty-three community anchor institutions in the project area that are essential for economic growth and development in high-poverty areas. Following are descriptions of the eight segments: in the south hill to kenbridge segment, the route will improve the fiber route diversity and capacity that supports the marketability and feasibility of the kenbridge commerce center site in lunenburg county and the critical growth of a high-tech data center operation in mecklenburg county. In the blackstone to 1-85 mckenney segment the route will support additional broadband capabilities at fort pickett for rapidly mobilized national security operations in the future and the current and expanding federal and private contractor workforce personnel. In the dinwiddie to prince george segment, the route directly supports economic development, workforce development, and quality of life of the residents of dinwiddie county, prince george county, and the city of petersburg. This critical route enables industrial, business, education, and biotech/pharmaceutical clusters robust diverse fiber connectivity and will take on the challenge of constructing this fiber segment with over six (6) railroad crossings. The mamac to greensville county segment directly supports economic development in greensville county by providing diverse fiber to enhance the marketability of the 1,600 acres, CSX certified, mamac megasite in greensville county. The farmville to heartland innovation technology park segment will directly support economic development by building new diverse fiber to the recently established heartland innovative technology park. The sussex mega site segment will create middle mile fiber diversity and enhance the 595-acre sussex mega site.

Subrecipient activities

The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.