The Albemarle Broadband Authority has been selected as a recipient of a 2020 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grant.
The grant to ABBA totals $291,300 and funds a partnership with CenturyLink to connect 837 locations with gigabit speed internet in unserved areas of Albemarle – specifically, Buffalo Hills, Watts Passage, Coles Rolling Road, Scottsville Road, Hatton, Keene, Howardsville, and Green Creek Road areas.
“The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors understands that today, broadband is essential infrastructure. We are grateful to Governor Northam and the Department of Housing and Community Development’s VATI program for continuing to support our strategic priority to expand broadband access throughout our community,” Samuel Miller District Supervisor Liz Palmer said.
The project has a total budget of $1,942,000. ABBA and VATI will each contribute 15% of the project cost and CenturyLink will invest the remaining 70 percent.
Construction is expected to be complete by spring 2021.
“The Albemarle Broadband Authority is pleased with the momentum that this grant provides for this project and for our broadband expansion efforts – but we are just getting started in our work of ensuring that every home and business in Albemarle County that wants broadband access can receive it,” said Bucky Walsh, ABBA Chair.
For more information about Albemarle Broadband Authority’s efforts or to report internet speeds through the Broadband Reporting Tool, visit www.albemarle.org/broadbandreport.
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