High-speed internet is coming a little closer to home, according to press release sent out Monday. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved the Nevada Interstate 80 Middle Mile Project, a buried fiber optic network that will stretch more than 400 miles across northern Nevada.
The line will follow the I-80 corridor from Reno to West Wendover, passing through Pershing and Humboldt counties along the way. Officials say the project will dramatically improve broadband quality and access for rural communities, schools, libraries, hospitals, and clinics.
“This is about making sure all Nevadans have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet,” the release said. The Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), is overseeing the broadband rollout.
Project details
- The fiber line will run about 404 miles within the I-80 right-of-way.
- Construction will include line markers, handhole vaults, and in-line amplification huts to boost the signal.
- Work will involve trenching, plowing, or directional drilling, with the conduit attached to existing bridges to cross rivers.
- More than 850 handhole vaults and 300 bore pits are expected along the route.
The project falls under the MOBILE NOW Act and a federal executive order promoting nationwide broadband expansion. Locally, it is expected to close gaps in service that have long frustrated rural residents and businesses.
For places like Lovelock, Winnemucca, and Battle Mountain, the new fiber line could be a game-changer, supporting everything from telehealth and distance learning to small business growth and modern emergency services.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, with work coordinated through BLM’s Elko District Office and several cooperating field offices.
More information about the project, including maps and updates, is available through OSIT’s Middle Mile Fiber Project webpage or by contacting BLM project manager Nancy Army at [email protected].
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