Broadband Expansion for Rockbridge County Moving Forward
Rockbridge County, VA – In September 2021 Rockbridge County, in partnership with BARC Electric Cooperative (BARC) and the Rockbridge Area Network Authority (RANA) applied for $10,850,750 of grant funding through the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) to support 14 broadband project areas across the county providing connectivity to high-speed internet. The request included 13 project areas of last-mile fiber construction through BARC with a total project cost of $17,368,575 and 1 project area of middle-mile fiber construction through RANA totaling $4,365,000, to achieve universal internet coverage throughout the county. After working through incumbent carrier (existing internet service provider) challenges to the original project submission, the project areas were revised in hopes of receiving requested funding for broadband construction and deployment.
On December 13, 2021 Rockbridge was made aware through an announcement from Governor Northam’s office that the County’s VATI funding request was not awarded. The grant funding committee deemed there were opportunities for the application to develop greater “universal” coverage areas. County officials, along with their broadband partners and the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) have continued working together and with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to ensure future grant funding is possible for remaining areas in Rockbridge not connected to high-speed internet service. All partners are encouraged with these discussions and plans to move forward with connecting residents and businesses in Rockbridge are slated to continue despite the lack of VATI funding.
BARC has begun the process of preliminary construction tasks in five of the application project areas and will continue plans for construction to meet the region’s broadband needs. Rockbridge is continuing to work with both BARC and RANA to expand broadband service to unserved and underserved areas in the county. All partners are planning to submit a revised application for VATI funding in 2022 while continuing to move forward providing access to high-speed internet service in Rockbridge. It is anticipated that revisions to application projects, along with areas currently or future-planned to be served by incumbent carriers, will successfully position Rockbridge in achieving universal broadband coverage.
To date, much work has already been accomplished in Rockbridge thanks to broadband partners and grant funding. Most recently, Rockbridge County and BARC were awarded VATI funding in December 2020 for fiber construction to areas in Effinger / Glasgow, Big Hill, South Buffalo and Cornwall East/Vesuvius. Funding through this grant and BARC’s matching funds have provided connectivity to almost 500 premises in Rockbridge. Additionally, BARC was awarded a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 2019 for the Town of Goshen, providing broadband coverage to all residents and businesses within the town limit. BARC currently has fiber construction plans through 2024 and those project areas can be found on their website.
Though it was disappointing to have not received VATI grant funding for 2022, the County, and partners RANA and BARC, remain committed to expanding broadband service in Rockbridge and believe universal connectivity is within our reach.