LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, June 21, 2023) – Score one for Allegan County, while Ottawa County will have to wait.
On Tuesday, the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office announced that 24 projects from 11 applicants are set to share in 238 million of federal Coronavirus Capital Project Fund dollars through the state’s Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grant program. Among those who were chosen from 154 applications submitted by 40 entities was a $65 million request by 123NET for connecting over 11,600 locations in Casco, Cheshire, Clyde and Lee townships with around 1,100 miles of high-capacity fiber, capable of 10 gigabits per second speed.
County Board Chairman Jim Storey of Holland has championed this public-private partnership effort that has a total cost of $35 million.
Pending a 45-day comment and review period before the state funds are released, work on this two-year project should begin in August.
Among the applications that were rejected by the state was one by 123NET for $24 million to help get nearly 10,000 locations in Ottawa County connected with fiberoptic lines. The next round of grants won’t be announced until the end of 2024.
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