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River Street says $59.5M Patrick County fiber build will be phased; some connections expected in late 2026
Summary
River Street Networks told the Patrick County board it expanded its BEAD/VADi project to roughly $59.5 million and about 9,337 locations; the company said construction will proceed in phased cabinet areas, with the first communities targeted for Q4 2026, but AEP transport release and permitting remain gating items.
River Street Networks outlined an expanded broadband plan for Patrick County on Monday, saying the project has grown from an initial VADi plan to a roughly $59,500,000 effort that will serve about 9,337 locations in the county. Greg Coltrane, River Street’s vice president of business development, told the board the countywide blueprint and detailed construction plans are in place and that the work will proceed area by area.
"The total project has now grown to include a BEAD award…which has put us at a project price at 59,500,000 with total locations in the county to be served at 9,337 ish," Coltrane said. He said River Street is relying on Appalachian Power (AEP) to bring completed transport routes to splice points; once AEP hands routes over, River Street will build distribution and test out to end users.
Coltrane said the company expects some communities to be available in the fourth quarter of 2026 and projected about 3,565 locations ready for service by the end of that year in the named first‑phase areas (Shingle Shop, Nettle Ridge, Vesta and Willard Creek). He emphasized the project is not a single activation: "This project is moving in phases…we'll be building phases and segments and bringing up the communities online all the way through the process based on the build timeline." (Greg Coltrane)
Board members and residents pressed River Street on timing and funding risk. Coltrane said the state contract for the BEAD (the "BD contract") was signed the prior Friday and that River Street is actively working to secure matching funds; he acknowledged some funding deadlines may require state discussions or extensions. "The core concern for us right now is just getting the financing secure, which we're very close to working on finalizing," Coltrane said.
The company described a multi‑step technical sequence: AEP completes transport routes, River Street splices and connects to those transport points, then River Street tests and activates its network out to cabinets, pedestals and customers. The board sought specifics about when the first routes could be "lit." Coltrane and River Street staff estimated a few weeks to a couple of months of construction after a route is released for handover, but emphasized variability by route and the dependency on AEP and federal/state permitting where applicable.
The presentation prompted residents to warn that ongoing delays encourage households to adopt satellite alternatives; several speakers urged the county to prioritize areas that remain unserved and to consider interim fixes while full fiber service is staged.
