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Officials unveil ambitious broadband expansion plan for Washington County

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The push to expand broadband to more rural parts of Washington County is accelerating with an ambitious plan to connect high-speed internet to 5,000 new customers in unserved or underserved communities.

The third phase of the county’s broadband expansion initiative, which began with a pilot program near Avella earlier this year, could install 700 miles of fiber optic lines in 10 targeted areas at an estimated cost of $50 million.

“Broadband is a hot topic, everywhere we turn,” county Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said.

The latest broadband venture was revealed Thursday morning during the Washington County Chamber of Commerce’s economic development leadership breakfast that attracted dozens of working professionals at the Washington Country Club in South Strabane.

Since the beginning of the year when the pilot program near Avella was launched to test the broadband initiative’s viability, the county commissioners have approved several contracts totaling nearly $6 million to bring high-speed internet to Bentleyville, Scenery Hill, Glyde and Beallsville, along with portions of West Finley Township.

The county conducted a survey in the spring asking residents to test their internet speeds and upload the figures to a database. Afterward, a comprehensive report was prepared by Tilson Technology Management on the broadband initiative over the summer to give the county a complete picture on which areas are in most need of service.

But this newest phase is the biggest one yet, and county officials acknowledge it may test their abilities to bring broadband to all rural areas without it.

“Why should we go where we want to go? … How many people would be impacted?” Irey Vaughan rhetorically stated about how they decided which communities should be focused on for service.

The plan now is to put out for bid 10 separate projects mostly in the western and southern areas of the county to see which are most cost-effective and feasible, Washington County Authority Executive Director John Timney said. After the bid requests go out in December, county officials will review the responses to see which projects are most viable and would bring the best return on investment, Timney said.

“We’re going to cast the net wide and then go through (the bids) methodically,” Timney said, adding this will be a multi-year project.

An additional 2,200 customers could also benefit from upgraded speeds depending on federal guidelines that determine whether a residence or business is considered served by broadband.

Officials have earmarked $30 million for broadband projects from the county’s allotment of the $98 million it received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. While the overall price tag of these new projects is estimated at $50 million, some of that cost will likely be subsidized by companies that bid on them and are willing to pay for a portion of the installation costs in order to expand their digital footprint. Officials are also looking for state grants to help fund the projects.

While speaking at the chamber breakfast, Irey Vaughan praised Timney for his work to lead the county’s broadband initiative.

“It was the perfect timing (with) the perfect individual,” Irey Vaughan said. “He knocked it out of the park.”

Chamber President Jeff Kotula noted that infrastructure has been in the news lately with federal funds now flowing for various projects. He added high-speed internet is vital to spur economic growth in Washington County.

“Infrastructure is not just water and sewage. It’s also broadband,” Kotula said.

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