USDA ReConnect Grant

Delivering High-Speed Internet To The Black Hills

The Project:

State-of-the-art internet is coming to five communities in the Black Hills, thanks to two multi-million dollar federal grants and a significant investment from SDN Communications.

See the map below for the approved routes and subscribe to our ReConnect Newsletter to receive updates on the project.

The Process:

  • Underway: Working with the Black Hills National Forest, State of South Dakota, Lawrence and Pennington Counties on the required permits and coordinating with South Dakota tribal entities and multiple state and federal agencies
  • Fiber construction is underway on the ReConnect 1 project with a completion goal of end of 2025
  • 2019 ReConnect Grant - USDA's Project Deadline: June 2026
  • 2020 ReConnect Grant - USDA's Project Deadline: June 2028

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION

2020 ReConnect Fiber Award Map

The Details:

Total Investment: $19.4 million

  • $13.9 million - USDA
  • $5.5 million - SDN Communications

85 Miles of Fiber

  • Average cost: $130,000 per mile

10 Monopoles

  • Average cost: $250,000 each

Communities covered

  • ReConnect 1 will provide wireless internet from monopoles to Rochford, Nemo and Silver City
  • ReConnect 2 extends from Lead to Mitchell Lake (near Hill City)

Have questions? Email us.

Larger Map
Keep Reading

News About ReConnect

  1. New grants will improve connectivity in the Black Hills and across S.D.
    The coming expansion of broadband connectivity in the northern Black Hills has businessman Matt Keck feeling joyful. “It’s like Christmas Day,” said Keck.
  2. Prospect of improved connectivity thrills Black Hills residents
    By the end of the 2021 construction season, people who live, work or play in the Nemo, Rochford and Silver City areas should begin experiencing the benefits of a $4.4 million, fiber-extension project that SDN is spearheading.
  3. Digging into Silver City - ReConnect gets under way
    Crews have broken ground on the first of two major projects to lay 85 miles of fiber in the Black Hills, bringing connectivity along Highway 385 from Hill City to Lead/Deadwood and three communities like never before.
  4. Who needs 3 satellites when you have ReConnect?
    Even with the three satellites and a cell booster, making a cell phone call in Silver City is inconsistent. It makes running businesses challenging to say the least. Luckily, things are about to get easier thanks to ReConnect.
  5. ReConnect to deliver connectivity just in time for Black Hills-area growth
    One realtor calls the ReConnect project “revolutionary,” and is excited for the possibilities it will bring. “For people who want to live and work remotely in this area, having high-speed internet is imperative. This will be amazing.”
  6. Black Hills fiber project is hopeful start of something bigger
    State-of-the-art, fiber internet is coming to three communities in the Black Hills, thanks to a $3.3 million federal grant and $1.1 million investment from SDN.