Firefly broadband project progressing [Video]

The Regional Internet Service Expansion (RISE) project is progressing in Madison County.

In 2022, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) signed a contract with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), launching the $288 million fiber internet construction project known as RISE. The project, being constructed by Firefly Fiber Broadband with partners Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) and Dominion Energy, will provide access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet to more than 36,000 businesses and residences. The project is being funded via a $79 million Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant administered by TJPDC along with $209 million in local and private sector matching funds. Madison, one of the 13 counties in the project, is contributing approximately $2.1 million. The project is expected to cover the eastern and southern portions of the county—Brightwood, Oak Park, Locust Dale, Raidant and Rochelle to name a few.

Since its official launch, RISE has …