Join local elected and appointed officials on April 6 at 9:30 am as the Southside Network Authority breaks ground for the 119-mile Fiber Ring that will interconnect the five cities of the Southside Hampton Roads region. 

The southside ring is Phase I of a regional fiber network that will connect with the subsea cables that have come ashore in Virginia Beach and eventually spread ultrafast broadband service throughout the Hampton Roads region. In addition to providing the fastest internet speeds on the east coast, this project will provide affordable and accessible broadband service and will serve as an asset for attracting high-tech companies and job growth to the Hampton Roads region.

Several Authority members will provide comments at this exciting event, including Virginia Beach Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson, Authority Chair and Chesapeake City Council member Susan Vitale, and Authority Vice Chair and Norfolk City Council member Andria McClellan. In addition, several other elected and appointed officials and community partners will be present to celebrate this exciting milestone.

About the Southside Network Authority:The Southside Network Authority, which was created by the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach in November 2019, was charged with finding a regional solution to the region’s need for expanded and more affordable internet connectivity. This southside fiber ring is the first phase of an open-access network that will enhance the availability and affordability of internet in the Hampton Roads region; provide the fastest internet speeds on the east coast; and expand economic development opportunities for the entire region.

About the HRPDC: The HRPDC is a regional political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia established to encourage and facilitate cooperation among local, state and federal governments and agencies to address, on a regional basis, problems or issues that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. Comprised of local elected and appointed officials, this organization serves the 1.7 million residents and the 17 jurisdictions of the Hampton Roads region.

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The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) fully comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, and related nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. HRPDC's website, www.hrpdcva.gov, and HRTPO's website, www.hrtpo.org, may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. HRPDC public meetings are always held in ADA-accessible facilities and in transit-accessible locations when possible. Auxiliary services can be provided to individuals who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Requests made within seven days will be accommodated to the greatest extent possible. Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice by HRPDC under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint may be in writing and filed with HRPDC and/or the appropriate state or federal agency within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. For more information on HRPDC's Title VI program, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, please call (757) 420-8300 or email: rcrum@hrpdcva.gov