GRANGEVILLE — A regional multimillion dollar fiber optic project starts construction in September, with plans for full completion later in 2026 to provide faster and more reliable broadband internet service.

“It’s not going to be until next spring, but we’re going to get it,” said Dave Taylor, consultant on DIGB2 (District Interoperability Governance Board) project to service its five-county region: Idaho, Lewis, Clearwater, Nez Perce and Latah.

Taylor — along with Dave Snodgrass with Clearwater Economic Development Administration, and Jerry Zumalt, Idaho County Emergency Management Coordinator — updated the council on the $14 million project at its Aug. 18 meeting.

Of this total, $12.3 million is set for construction of a middle-mile fiber optic line from Grangeville to Orofino and — up to now — last-mile fiber-to-the-premise in the City of Nezperce. On this last, Taylor had good news for the council:

“We’ve added the city of Grangeville for fiber to the home,” he said, which will be incorporated within phase three of the project when Nezperce work will be conducted. Bids on this portion are expected to go out in mid-October.

Meanwhile, construction begins on phase one — Nezperce to Orofino — on Sept. 15, followed by phase two: Nezperce to Grangeville.

The DIGB2 project required a 26% match from public entities within the project area, of which the City of Grangeville contributed $66,793. Taylor recognized that commitment:

“Thank you for that,” he said. “It’s a big deal for you to give that. We understand the tight budgets for small communities, and so for you to give that to us as part of the match, we’re really appreciative of that.”

The DIGB2 project is for middle-mile, defined as the connection of communities over distances. This will connect into a “last-mile” (service provides connections to individual end users) project: the planned 198-mile IRON (Idaho Regional Optical Network) public/private broadband partnership from Grangeville to Star.

For the DIGB2 project, the ISPs (internet service providers) to be involved include Airbridge, Inland Cellular and First Step, who will be providing home services. Taylor noted a campaign will be conducted to find out the level of interest.

“When we do that, then we’ll know exactly how many homes we’re going to be lighting up as soon as the fiber comes online,” he said, with Zumalt later adding, “We’re going to put fiber on these towers, too. So the reach actually can be much greater,” to outlying residents, and overall to the area’s commerce and economic infrastructure.

“This whole effort for broadband is a real culmination of 15 years of effort across the region. It is the strength of partnerships,” Snodgrass said, with the work of DIGB2 and also CEDA in grant writing for the project. “We were a black hole in middle mile and fiber for years, and look at where we’re getting. So, it’s really exciting.”

In other council business:

• County approved to place an increase in the Avista franchise fee, from 1% to 3%, on the November ballot.

• Council set a public hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 6 p.m. for the proposed $8,099,121 City of Grangeville budget for 2025-26.