A statewide effort is underway to ensure all Washingtonians, whether they live in urban or rural areas, have access to broadband WiFi while maintaining appropriate social distancing practices.
At 441 locations around the state, residents will be able to stay in their cars while accessing high-speed Internet. During a teleconference and Facebook Live event earlier this week, key figures in the effort to bridge the “digital divide” remoted in from around the state.
“The purpose of these drive-up WiFi spots is that people can stay in their cars, stay safe and connect,” said Lisa Brown, Director of the Washington State Commerce Department, as she called in via video chat from the Washington State University extension parking lot in Newport in Pend Oreille County on the Idaho border. “And we all know how important that is right now, especially during this really challenging period of time.”
In Kitsap County, there are currently ten of these locations, all at local libraries — Port Orchard, Manchester, downtown Bremerton, Sylvan Way, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Kingston, Bainbridge Island and Little Boston.
But in more rural areas with fewer libraries, WiFi access can be found at other locations such as the Port of Allyn dock and Grapeview Fire Station in Mason County or the Walmart and JC Penney parking lots in Sequim.
When the project is complete, Washington is expected to have 600 public hotspots available, said Russ Elliott, the state’s broadband director.
