More than 10,000 Bastrop County homes and businesses are being connected to the internet through a $43.1 million grant the Texas Broadband Development Office awarded earlier this year.

What we know

With construction now underway, Bastrop County officials and representatives from Highline—the provider installing the high-speed fiber internet to previously unserved locations—will celebrate the milestone at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Bastrop County Courthouse.

“This significant investment cements Bastrop County’s commitment to closing the digital divide,” Adena Lewis, Bastrop County’s director of tourism and economic development, said in a statement. “Access to reliable, high‐speed internet is vital for education, healthcare, business and community well‐being.”

Zooming in

Bastrop County was one of 13 counties to earn grant funding from the Texas Broadband Development Office’s Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas, or BOOT II, program.

Lewis credited several key players for their ongoing commitment to closing the digital divide in Bastrop County, including:

• Bastrop County Commissioners Court
• Bastrop County Cares
• St. David’s Foundation
• Communities Unlimited
• Lower Colorado River Authority
• Connected Nation
• Bastrop County Economic Development Organization

“This total investment isn’t just about internet service—it’s about opportunity,” Bastrop County Precinct 4 Commissioner David Glass said. “Expanding broadband countywide will ensure our students can learn, our businesses can grow and our residents can stay connected in an increasingly digital world. Bastrop County is ready to move forward, and this grant makes that possible.”

The outlook

Lewis added that installations of the high-speed fiber internet are expected to be completed in late 2026.

“Upon completion, Bastrop County residents and businesses will enjoy enhanced broadband options at affordable rates—unlocking opportunities in telehealth, remote learning, small business growth, civic engagement and beyond,” she said in a news release.