Gov. Beshear, state leaders working to expand high-speed internet access in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Gov. Andy Beshear and other state leaders are working to expand internet access across Kentucky.

A six-week, 14-stop listening tour is underway. Officials stopped in Elizabethtown Thursday as part of the tour to hear concerns from community leaders, business owners, internet providers, residents and others. It's part of the state's ongoing Better Internet Initiative.

"Access to reliable high-speed internet is critical to the state's future economic growth and will vastly improve the daily lives of all Kentuckians," Beshear said in a news release. "While we are making great progress in our efforts to expand access, we can't afford to leave any person or community — urban or rural — behind."

There are billions of dollars available to expand access to high-speed internet.

"Having community-level input will help ensure Kentucky's plan expands and improves internet access where it is most critically needed," Meghan Sandfoss, executive director of the state's Office of Broadband Development, said in a news release.

The head of Bullitt County's library said it's important for people to understand that not everyone has access to high-speed internet.

"People, I think, forget how much the people rely on, the community relies on, libraries for internet access, especially high speed," Tara O'Hagan, Bullitt County Public Library executive director, said. "We try to offer the highest speed available so they can Zoom meetings or take online classes."

The goal of the listening tour is to not only identify areas of the state that need high-speed internet, but to find areas where existing infrastructure needs to be updated.

Leaders from the Education and Labor Cabinet are also taking part in the tour, looking for input on the development of the state's digital equity plan.

"Ensuring more Kentuckians have access to reliable high-speed internet will significantly improve employment and educational opportunities, particularly in the commonwealth's more rural or remote areas," said Jamie Link, Education and Labor Cabinet secretary, in a news release. "Hearing directly from citizens and businesses from across the state on this listening tour will be immensely helpful as we strive to finally bridge the digital divide that has existed in Kentucky for far too long."

The next stop on the tour will be in Jeffersontown from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 at the Jeffersonian on Taylorsville Road. To register for the event, click here. It is free to attend.

For a list of dates for the rest of the tour, click here.

For more information about the Office of Broadband Development and the listening tour, click here.