Richland County officials reported progress and contractual assurances on broadband projects funded in part with American Rescue Plan Act money and discussed a major funding request to the state for a Route 30 broadband corridor.

County administration said Spectrum Communications has provided written confirmation that the $2 million county commitment toward local broadband expansion will be complete by Dec. 31, 2026. County staff said the build scope in Richland County covers roughly 748 addresses. The county has not yet been billed by Charter/Spectrum and staff described the contractor's written email confirmation as the basis for the completion timeline.

Commissioners discussed contingency steps if contractors cannot meet the Dec. 2026 completion date. County staff said they would review the matter with the county's legal team and Spectrum and that reallocation of ARPA funds is procedurally constrained by federal requirements, though regulatory changes or contract remedies could allow extensions or reallocations.

Separately, commissioners described plans to seek state funding for a broader Route 30 project that would extend east to west along the highway. The commissioners said they plan to ask the governor and other state officials to include up to $20 million in the state's capital or general-fund budget to fund the corridor; they emphasized the $20 million figure was a target to fully cover the corridor and said they hoped the project could cost less than that amount.

Why it matters: broadband expansion is a major infrastructure priority for rural counties; timing and contractor performance determine whether ARPA-funded projects meet federal obligation deadlines and whether the county must reallocate funds.

Key points
- Spectrum assurance: County staff read an email from a Spectrum regional vice president confirming work in Richland County will be complete by Dec. 31, 2026, and said the project scope includes approximately 748 addresses.
- County commitment and billing: The county has committed $2,000,000 from ARPA funds to support the project; staff said the county has not yet been billed by Charter/Spectrum.
- Contingency and federal rules: County staff said federal ARPA requirements limit reallocation options and that the county would pursue contract remedies and legal review if Spectrum is unable to meet the deadline, while acknowledging the possibility of regulatory extensions.
- Route 30 funding ask: Commissioners said they will seek up to $20,000,000 in the state budget to fund an east-west Route 30 broadband corridor, with the goal of covering the project end-to-end.

Ending: County officials said they will continue to monitor contractor milestones and pursue state-level funding for the Route 30 corridor as part of 2025 advocacy plans.