In November, voters allowed Pitkin County to provide broadband services.
The county is now killing two birds with one stone: They’re going to update emergency radio technology, which they will, in turn, use to get broadband into the Crystal and Fryingpan River drainages.
Jon Peacock is the Pitkin County manager; he said Pitkin is one of a few counties in Colorado that hasn’t yet updated to the “national standard” for public safety radio.
“It’s not new technology, but I think the combination in order to both provide for public safety radio as well as broadband services for the community is a unique combination,” he said.
Last Thursday, the state gave the county $900,000 towards the project, which is estimated to cost $2.5 million.