County partners report broadband build is more than 80% complete, project to reach thousands of homes

County officials and their broadband contractor told the Alachua County Commission on May 12 that an ARPA‑funded fiber deployment to unserved and underserved areas is more than 80% complete and ahead of schedule.

Donna Bradbrook of Budget and Fiscal Services introduced the presentation and said the county prioritized a portion of American Rescue Plan funds for high‑speed Internet. Contractor representative Rex Reeves reported the deployment had provided next‑generation fiber services to more than 3,950 locations, representing 81% of the contract target, and that crews have placed roughly 365 miles of fiber. Reeves said the project is projecting completion in the third quarter of 2026, at least six months ahead of the contractual deadline.

Reeves also described pricing tiers the provider is offering: “100 meg symmetrical fiber Internet is $24.99; 300 meg is $39.99; 1 gig starts at $49.99,” he said. Commissioners asked about affordability and about locations where fiber has been placed but service connections have lagged; Reeves said residents can check availability on the provider website and that the provider will investigate specific connection complaints.

Board members praised the speed of deployment and asked staff to join a related public meeting in High Springs to brief residents on local progress. Bradbrook and the contractor said they would coordinate to present at the community meeting.

No formal county action was required at the presentation; commissioners adopted a separate fiscal‑year budget amendment later in the session.