From: Tim Heider. Clackamas County Public Affairs Coordinator, 503-742-5911

09-01-10

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer joined Clackamas County Commissioners Wednesday to announce details of a $7.8 million federal grant for expansion of low-cost internet service to under-served areas of the county.

Clackamas County was the state’s largest recipient of the broadband funding and has pledged to add $3.3 million to the expansion project. The total investment will allow for construction of 180 miles of new broadband fiber infrastructure from Oregon City to Government Camp.

The project will provide high speed connections to approximately 97,000 households and 3,600 businesses in addition to hospitals, fire stations and schools resulting in cost savings and increased efficiency and productivity.

Some of expected results of the broadband expansion include:

• Enabling schools to provide distance learning and virtual classroom applications.
• Allowing public safety agencies to more easily share information and streamline training opportunities.
• Enabling transportation agencies to implement traffic and video monitoring along high traffic corridors to ease congestion and provide greater safety.

Sen. Merkley praised county officials for launching “a coordinated strategy” to connect urban and rural areas of the county.

He said the broadband grant, funded with federal stimulus funds, will provide high speed internet access to increase productivity and provide a foundation for economic growth.

“Businesses need to have access and residents need to have access to grow this economy.”

“This is an investment in productivity that is going to pay dividends for years to come,” said Congressman Blumenauer. 

“This project will help stimulate economic development by bringing modern, higher-paying sustainable jobs to rural Clackamas County,” said Clackamas County Commission Chair Lynn Peterson. “These communities will now be better able to compete and attract employers because of these broadband connections.”

The project will soon enter the design stage. Construction is expected to begin next February and conclude in August 2013.