Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that over $247 million will be awarded to various counties and municipalities throughout Florida as part of the Broadband Infrastructure Program, and the Marion County region is set to receive nearly $42 million.
The goal of this program is to connect over 59,000 unserved and underserved businesses, homes, farms, and anchor institutions such as hospitals and libraries to high-speed internet.
According to a press release from the governor’s office on Friday, July 7, these awards are in addition to more than $226 million in Broadband Opportunity Grant Funding that has already been awarded to 53 counties to expand broadband Internet access to unserved areas across the state.
“High-speed broadband Internet is important infrastructure for Florida communities and will generate economic development activity and a talented labor force,” stated Governor DeSantis in the press release. “Florida is proud to make investments in broadband Internet infrastructure that will benefit all Floridians and make long-term impacts in communities across the state.”
The Marion County region will receive the following funds:
- $21,290,000 to the cities of Archer, Hawthorne, and Micanopy: These funds will be used to add 783 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 5,799 unserved locations within Alachua, Marion, and Putnam counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB.
- $4,779,127 to Marion County: These funds will be used to add 88 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 935 unserved locations within Marion and Putnam counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB.
- $15,841,522 to the unincorporated area of Silver Springs Shores and the unincorporated community of Ocklawaha: These funds will be used to add 231 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 3,296 unserved locations within Marion and Lake Counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1GB.
This funding is a direct result of the community’s responses to the eCheckup questions shared by Marion County in 2022, and this expansion of broadband service will help reach the unserved and underserved residents throughout the county.
For more information, visit the Marion County Broadband Initiative webpage.