Rural Idaho County Prepares for High-Speed Internet

(TNS) — Residents in Garfield County, Idaho, should have access to high-speed internet by the end of the year.

According to a recent news release from the Port of Garfield County, all businesses, "anchor institutions" and homes in Pomeroy will soon benefit from a project that's been in the works for years.

On Monday, Port Manager Diana Ruchert said the project got a boost when a grant was awarded in 2019, which allowed construction to begin this year. The port's fiber-to-home project is progressing on schedule and on track to be completed by Dec. 31, she said.

Zero DB Communications, a Spokane telecommunications company, is finishing the work. The project will improve broadband services for at least 78 businesses and many residential neighborhoods in Pomeroy.

"Currently, speeds are so slow in Pomeroy that small businesses flounder to bring their commerce online," according to the port's grant application. "By investing in dark fiber infrastructure, the port will facilitate the level of internet speeds that are typically found in denser, urban cities."

Bringing broadband fiber to Garfield County has been in the port's comprehensive plan for more than 10 years. Officials said they are excited for the internet access that will now be available in the rural community in southeastern Washington. During the coronavirus pandemic, the technology is even more important as people work from home and access online education.

"It just gives the community a lot more options with jobs and schooling," Ruchert told the Lewiston Tribune. "We are catching up with the urban communities and moving forward."

Mark Kennedy of Zero DB Communications gave credit to the city of Pomeroy for its cooperation during the fiber-construction process.

"The city of Pomeroy and public works department have been excellent partners," Kennedy said in the news release. "They have been a great help throughout this process."

The project is being funded by a combination of grants, a low-interest loan and port dollars.

Officials said the Port of Garfield County secured a $412,500 loan, along with a $137,500 grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board. In addition, the port contributed $200,000, and Garfield County kicked in $100,000 to complete the upgrade.

(c)2020 the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.