New fiber broadband network coming to Wetzel County that will serve a 48-square-mile area

A new fiber broadband network is coming to Wetzel County.

The Wetzel County Commission and the Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) said the project was made possible by the utilization of $2.1 million in USDA ReConnect grant funds, matched by the Wetzel County Commission, bringing the total investment to $4.2 million.

This fiber network will serve a 48-square-mile area, providing high-speed internet to 1,909 households, five educational facilities, one healthcare center, and nine critical community facilities.

Through RED, Wetzel County was awarded the USDA’s ReConnect 50/50 loan/grant combination, covering the total project cost of the project. The ReConnect program will allow RED and Citynet to extend 87 miles of new broadband fiber service along Route 20 and Route 7, reaching as far as Hundred, WV.

Josh Jefferson, President of RED, explained their organization’s interest in the project, “Because of the significant effort and commitment of our federal delegation and following the lead of our partners at the Wetzel County Commission, we collectively identified this lack of infrastructure as a major priority. West Virginia cannot foster opportunities for remote work, small business growth, education, and healthcare access without reliable broadband. These tremendous partners and this wonderful community have made today’s project a reality.”

Citynet CEO Jim Martin expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We are incredibly proud to be a critical part of this exciting initiative. Citynet’s work on this project is at the core of our mission: to bring affordable, reliable broadband internet across West Virginia. This is another important step toward that goal. While these funds are designated for specific routes, our goal is to expand fiber outside of the grant project’s scope once we satisfy the service requirements of the specific grants.”

There will be an official dedication taking place on Thursday at 2 pm at 4H Grounds in New Martinsville, West Virginia.

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