Faster Internet On The Way?

Sonora, CA – A massive Central California broadband infrastructure project stands to benefit the Mother Lode in the coming years.

The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project has been awarded $46.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding. The project is designed and developed by the Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN) and the non-profit Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC).

Information from CVIN shows that the project covers 18 counties (including Tuolumne and Calaveras) and 39,530 square miles.

The project plans to connect via fiber to 19 county offices of education (Tuolumne and Calaveras), 14 community college sites (Columbia), 20 libraries (Tuolumne and Calaveras), and seven public safety sites that will anchor the new network infrastructure.

The federal grant is designed to help rural areas catch up to urban regions when it comes to high speed internet access. The Central Valley project runs from Bakersfield to Yuba County, and extends through the Sierra Foothills. The award states that the project must be completed within two years.