By: Savannah Love Chadee
A regional broadband project designed to expand internet infrastructure across Salem and Cumberland counties has moved toward construction following a groundbreaking ceremony in mid-October.
According to Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s office, the South Jersey Middle Mile Broadband Project is expected to add more than 180 miles of fiber infrastructure connecting key institutions, including schools, hospitals and public safety facilities. Haddon Antonucci, deputy chief of staff for policy for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, said the project aims to expand internet access in underserved areas and increase competition in areas where residents have limited provider options.
“Many areas of South Jersey have little to no internet coverage. Other areas are covered only by one internet service. Other areas are covered only by one internet provider,” Antonucci said in written responses.
The project is led by Salem County in coordination with the City of Vineland and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority. The Authority’s formal role includes serving as the construction manager representing Salem County and has been heavily involved in the initiative. Once fully in operation, the network will be managed by the City of Vineland, which plans to lease access to internet service providers interested in offering services throughout the area. The arrangement is intended to help providers reach communities where internet access is limited.
Unlike a network that connects directly to every home, the middle-mile infrastructure will serve as a backbone for internet connectivity, linking major facilities and providing connection points that other networks can use to reach residents and businesses. Most households will still require an additional connection, known as a “last-mile” link, to receive internet service through the network. Antonucci said the project is intended to address limited competition in parts of South Jersey, where residents may have fewer choices for internet services.
“Our network will introduce competition while generating public revenue, bringing lower costs and higher speeds for the region,” said Antonucci.
Additional funding is also being put in place to help establish last-mile connections. In an email update, Paxton Antonucci, communications director for Van Drew, said more than $10 million is already in place to help support last-mile connections into the network in Salem County and Vineland. This funding could help extend the benefits of the middle-mile infrastructure to local communities, although further details about its allocation and implementation were not provided.
The project could also have particular benefits for rural communities, where limited connectivity can make it harder to access telehealth appointments, online education, emergency services and opportunities for local businesses. According to Antonucci, the network’s ring design is intended to improve reliability by allowing traffic to be rerouted through the other side of the network if a section of fiber is damaged.
The project was announced in June 2023 with approximately $24.18 million in federal funding through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program. A May 2026 Salem County construction notice identifies approximately $22.76 million in federal grant assistance. The available documents do not explain the difference between those figures.
The original federal documentation listed a total project cost of approximately $34.5 million. Antonucci said the project’s financing structure includes in-kind contributions intended to reduce the direct cost to local taxpayers.
“We secured a $24.1 million grant from the NTIA Middle-Mile Grant Program. We also have worked closely with the local government on permitting, and on how to structure public financing. We negotiated $8 million of in-kind contributions, so South Jersey taxpayers are only paying $1.5 million to gain a $34 million piece of revenue-generating equity infrastructure. As the project’s financing structure was designed to limit the direct cost of South Jersey taxpayers,” said Antonucci in written responses.
The reported in-kind contribution figure requires further clarification to establish how it fits into the project’s overall funding breakdown. Salem County is leading the project, with the City of Vineland and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority also contributing to its development.
Antonucci credited Salem County Administrator J.T. Ridgway for his work on the initiative. While the project officially broke ground in mid-October, construction is planned in two phases, according to Antonucci. The first phase was scheduled to begin in October and extend from Vineland through areas of Salem County, while the second phase is planned to begin in 2027 and cover Cumberland County.
The project aims to improve regional connectivity and create opportunities for more competitive internet service. However, the middle-mile network alone does not guarantee faster or more affordable residential service. Those benefits will depend on the availability of last-mile connections and participation by internet service providers.
Antonucci described the project as “on time, on budget” and said it would deliver faster, more efficient and cheaper internet with more competitive options. Those statements reflect the project’s anticipated benefits; its actual effects on household prices, speeds and service availability will depend on implementation and provider participation.
“This project is on time, on budget, and is something that we actually own as a community. It will deliver faster, more efficient and cheaper internet with more competitive options,” said Antonucci.
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This article was produced as part of Follow South Jersey’s student journalism program, which provides aspiring journalists with practical experience in professional news reporting and writing.
