PVREA Middle-Mile Fiber Internet

Poudre Valley REA broadband power infrastructure will be seeing an increase in its resiliency soon. Larimer County has received a $995,429 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to help develop community-owned middle-mile fiber to the towns of Wellington and Masonville. Additionally, the county’s general fund will be matching the grant. While Larimer County is generally well-connected, this grant will be pivotal in providing improved access to unserved and underserved rural residents who have struggled with inadequate broadband infrastructure and unreliable service.

The middle-mile fiber project will include the construction of 107,168 feet of above-ground fiber on Poudre Valley REA poles, and will interconnect with existing community-owned middle-mile fiber. Wellington can expect to see improved connection both in town and in more rural areas, and this new fiber will connect with Fort Collins-based broadband service Connexion. The Masonville route will focus on improving connectivity along Larimer County Road 27 between U.S. Highway 34 and Masonville, which will create opportunity for last-mile expansion projects in collaboration with Loveland Pulse, Loveland’s fiber-optic internet provider.

The partnership between Connexion, Larimer County, and Loveland Pulse is focused on improving the community and providing excellent customer service, with Chad Crager, Connexion Broadband executive director stating “We believe that a great internet experience is the foundation for the future of innovation and collaboration in this region.” Each fiber service will own and be responsible for construction, maintenance, and operation of the new middle-mile project. Not only will this grant make improved connectivity possible for many homes, it also will help the community compete for future grants to upgrade infrastructure for years to come.