OTTAWA COUNTY, MI — A plan to bring high-speed broadband internet to up to 10,000 Ottawa County households has been slimmed down because of a reduced state grant.
Ottawa County leaders learned Tuesday, July 2 that an upcoming project to install 400 miles of fiber optic cable would be reduced to about 250 miles.
Related: Ottawa County filling in high-speed internet gaps with 400 miles of fiber serving 10K
The reduction coincides with a reduction in a state grant to cover part of the cost. The grant was expected to be $14 million but was awarded at $8.83 million.
Ottawa County planned to contribute $7.75 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward the project, but now will ante up $4 million instead.
According to Paul Sachs, director of strategic impact for Ottawa County, the number of household potentially served by the fiber will be reduced from 10,000 to 6,000.
Sachs said he’s hopeful that the saved ARPA dollars, $3.75 million, can be used at a later date to further expand high-speed internet in Ottawa County.
Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Grand Rapids” daily newsletter.
Read more stories about Ottawa Impact
#Ottawa #Countys #highspeed #internet #project #slimmed,
#Ottawa #Countys #highspeed #internet #project #slimmed
