Broadband internet coming to the area

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Governor Deval Patrick announced Tuesday broadband internet will be coming to areas of western Massachusetts that are currently unserved or underserved.

The governor has allocated $4.3 million in state bond funds to help build broadband networks throughout western Massachusetts.

The networks will be built along Interstate 91 by installing fiber optic cables under the highway.

This initiative will make faster internet access an option for people who couldn't get it before.

The governor said this project is a critical part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan. "This is a vital tool for business educators, for healthcare, for law enforcement, for connecting all of us to each other, and enabling a platform, for economic development, and opportunities in every corner in the Commonwealth," said Gov. Patrick.

The governor said that this project will help the state get additional federal stimulus funds specifically for broadband.