FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) – Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist was in Genesee County for the groundbreaking of a new high-speed internet project.

A third fiber route, worth $87 million, is being built in Michigan, making internet more accessible and affordable to more than 95,000 families across the state.

“Being disconnected from the internet means literally being disconnected from opportunity,” Gilchrist said.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Davison on Monday, July 28, for Route 3.

“A more connected Michigan is a more vibrant Michigan, a more prosperous Michigan, and a Michigan with a big enough future to include all of us in it,” Gilchrist said.

The project connects 100 route miles of new middle-mile fiber throughout the state.

Route 1 connects Michigan to Chicago via underwater fiber. Route 2 connects Michigan’s peninsulas via fiber with a stop on Beaver Island. Route 3 will deploy broadband fiber from Flint through Genesee, Lapeer, Macomb, and St. Clair counties.

“For federal offices, state offices, local communities being here today to talk about this with our business community, this is going to strengthen this region so much through this level of impact and partnership,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said.

It is part of the federal enabling middle-mile broadband infrastructure program. This new fiber is expected to improve connectivity and redundancy for more than 2,500 homes in mid-Michigan and the Thumb.

“By increasing sort of the backbone and increasing that infrastructure, it creates greater access opportunities for homes and businesses and others in those rural unserved,” said Jennifer Greenburg, the vice president of government affairs at Peninsula Fiber Network. “It makes it more affordable for other internet service providers to connect to the middle-mile and provide service. So it could result in lower rates for customers and communities. And then there’s more competition within the broadband infrastructure, which helps really all of the players.”

According to gilchrist, increased internet connectivity helps the economy, education, and health outcomes.

“Farms that are connected to the internet have more yields and are more productive,” Gilchrist said. “Children who have internet access in their homes are more likely to do their homework and have better education outcomes. Households that have internet have better health outcomes because they can have a better and more intimate relationship with their providers.”

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