County secures $1.7 million grant for broadband
Garfield County has secured a more than $1.7 million grant from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to help complete phase II of its middle mile broadband project. The DOLA grant is being matched by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds awarded to the county to help realize the project, which expands broadband service to underserved locations throughout Garfield County. The first phase of the project, which is underway and expected to be completed this year, includes construction of lateral fiber from middle mile infrastructure along the Interstate 70 corridor that connects with carrier neutral locations in Glenwood Springs and
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Board backs support letter for affordable housing study grant
House model and key in house door. Real estate agent offer house, property insurance and security, affordable housing concepts
Garfield County has signed a letter of support for an application by the Greater Roaring Fork Valley Housing Coalition seeking a $75,000 Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Innovative Affordable Housing Strategies grant. The coalition was formed to provide an avenue for regional cooperation in addressing the area’s affordable housing crisis. This coalition features representatives from Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Basalt, Snowmass Village, Aspen, Pitkin and Eagle counties, and Colorado Mountain College. The planning grant program (IHOP) provides grants to local governments “to help them understand their housing needs and adopt policy and regulatory strategies to qualify for the Affordable Housing Development
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Middle-mile network implementation moves forward
Green Nylon jacketed 576 fiber optic ribbon cable end used for broadband networks.
Garfield County has agreed to a contract with Vero Fiber Networks, LLC, to build middle-mile and carrier-neutral locations to bolster broadband service in the region. The Board of County Commissioners approved a $200,000 budget supplement to cover the remaining costs of the project, which is not to exceed $1,140,180. More than $970,000 of a previously awarded Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant is also being utilized toward the project’s costs. That DOLA matching grant has been reallocated toward the middle-mile efforts from a prior proposal to implement wireless infrastructure, which was determined to be cost-prohibitive. The $200,000 supplement is coming
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