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Richland leaders announce $20 million in state funding for Route 30 broadband middle‑mile
Summary
County officials and state lawmakers announced a $20 million state GRF appropriation to build a middle‑mile fiber route along Route 30, with a point of presence near Mansfield Airbase; ODOD will coordinate project procurement and local officials said the funding will be distributed across fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
Commissioner Tony Vero and state and local officials announced that the state has appropriated $20,000,000 in General Revenue Fund (GRF) money for a Route 30 broadband expansion project aimed at building a middle‑mile fiber route across North Central Ohio.
The funding was presented as a two‑part appropriation that makes roughly $10,500,000 available in fiscal 2026 and the remaining funds available in fiscal 2027. State Representative Marilyn John and a presenter identified in the meeting as Dr. Diab credited years of local advocacy and legislative support for securing the appropriation.
The project will join the Ohio Academic Resources Network (ORNET) and create a point of presence, or POP, near the Mansfield airbase to connect the corridor into the state’s network backbone. “It’s about—it’s like water and electricity. Right? We cannot live without it,” Dr. Diab said, describing internet capacity as a modern utility for education, research and business. Barrett, who the meeting identified as the technical speaker, described a POP as a connection node on…
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