A 257-mile fiber build along U.S. 30 across Ohio is set to begin once final permits clear, with Richland County expected to see work this summer and the full project taking about 24 months.
State officials say the line will close a critical middle-mile gap in North Central Ohio, carrying large volumes of data over long distances so local networks are not left congested and slow.
BroadbandOhio said the number of fully unserved Ohio households has fallen from 300,000 during the pandemic to about 60,000, and called the Route 30 project another step toward universal coverage.
The state previously awarded a $20 million contract to Com Net Inc. to expand fiber along the corridor through 15 counties, aiming to support business growth, remote work, education and health access.
At Mansfield's 179th Cyberspace Wing, officials said the added high-speed fiber will strengthen secure network capacity, mission readiness and broader national security operations.