Herron Island Broadband Project Canceled

Astound has formally withdrawn from the Herron Island portion of the broadband expansion project contracted with Pierce County in September 2024.

In an email to Key Peninsula News, Pierce County Planning and Public Works public information specialist Jenny Burger said that the county and Astound finalized an amendment to the contract Jan. 5.

“Astound determined that the Herron Island portion of the project could not be completed by the Dec. 31, 2026, ARPA funding deadline, and this work has been removed from the contract,” Burger said. “We understand residents in the Key Peninsula area are eager for high-speed internet options, and the county will continue to support any future broadband expansion projects in this area.”

Under the terms of the original contract, the county would have contributed $7.15 million toward the $12.1 million price tag for broadband expansion to Herron Island and the county’s Nisqually region, using about half of the ARPA funding it had received. Astound would cover the remaining $4.95 million.

The Nisqually project is moving forward.  “With all allocated project funds now devoted to that area, over 3,500 homes in the Nisqually region are expected to gain access to high-speed internet by the end of this year. This is almost 400 total homes more than originally planned,” Burger said.

While the cancellation of the Herron Island project was disappointing news, Pierce County Councilmember Robyn Denson (D-7th) pledged her continued support for improved broadband access to the island. “We’ll continue to work on this issue,” she said.