McHenry County Moving Forward to Expand Broadband

WOODSTOCK – McHenry County is taking the next step in its goal to ensure that residents and businesses countywide have access to high-speed broadband Internet.

The McHenry County Connects initiative seeks to expand the county’s existing fiber network, especially to rural and underserved areas lacking access to reliable service.

“The COVID-19 lockdowns laid bare the need for everyone to have fast and dependable internet – however, this turned out to be a big problem for far too many families and
businesses, especially in the rural parts of McHenry County,” County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, R-Crystal Lake, said. “Lack of reliable service caused problems for children and teachers as schools went remote, as well as for adults whose jobs allowed
them to work from home. Federal COVID-19 relief funding presents us a once-in-a lifetime opportunity, and we’re launching McHenry County Connects to take advantage of this and make this vital infrastructure need happen.”

The county has put out a request for Internet service providers interested in partnering to expand and maintain the network. Providers have until Monday, April 4 to submit a request for expression of interest in the project.

In 2013, McHenry County partnered with McHenry County College, School District 200, the City of Woodstock, and the Emergency Telephone Safety Board (which operates the
county’s Enhanced 911 system) to create the McHenry County Fiber Network Consortium. The consortium completed a $2.1 million project to lay fiber-optic cable up Routes 14 and 47 to connect the members’ individual sites, with the opportunity for
residents and private businesses to hook into the network.

McHenry County is examining two potential expansions into underserved areas: a ring looping west to connect Harvard, Marengo, Union and the new I-90 and Route 23 interchange, and a northeast expansion through Hebron, Richmond and Spring Grove.
The proposal document, along with interactive maps accessible through Google Earth, can be found by clicking here.

The county will aggressively seek funding for the expansion through the $350 million that Illinois has already allocated for broadband projects through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“Infrastructure is more than roads, bridges and highways. High-speed Internet is paramount to economic development, education, health care and so many aspects of our lives,” Buehler said. “Extending our fiber network to hook up rural and underserved areas will reap benefits for everyone.”