An 18-mile underground fiber optic network now connects Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, completing a $3 million infrastructure project five years in the making.
Ann Arbor SPARK announced Wednesday, Aug. 26, that the Ann Arbor–Ypsilanti Broadband Fiber Optic Network is operational. The backbone launches with 432 fiber optic strands and was built with extra capacity for future growth.
The project was funded by a $2.4 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, awarded to Ann Arbor SPARK in July 2021, plus $600,000 in local matching funds from Ann Arbor SPARK, the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA), the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. MLive first reported the grant award at the time.
The network runs through separate physical routes between the two cities, a design that provides backup if one path is disrupted. It joins the city's existing 35-mile A2 I-NET backbone and downtown Technology Park network.
"Connecting the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti innovation districts with high-capacity fiber strengthens an already important economic corridor and gives companies another reason to invest and grow here," Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK, said in the announcement.
What dark fiber means for businesses
The City of Ann Arbor owns, operates and maintains the new infrastructure. Excess capacity is available as dark fiber, meaning unlit strands that businesses, telecom providers and institutions can lease and activate with their own equipment.
It sells no internet service. Organizations that access dark fiber are responsible for lighting it themselves.
City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. said the network was built to serve the broader community for decades and urged businesses and telecom providers to explore how they can use the available capacity.
The city's Smart City Strategic Plan called specifically for extending fiber to link the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti SmartZones, identifying high-speed infrastructure as key to supporting startups and increasing broadband competition.
Ann Arbor SPARK led the federal grant application and served as grant administrator. The City of Ann Arbor handled design and construction. The City of Ypsilanti was a key project partner.
Businesses, telecom providers and institutions interested in accessing dark fiber capacity can contact Josh Baron, the city's IT director, at 734-794-6550.
