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By Daniel Evans

The city of Suffolk has spent nearly half of its $30 million in American Rescue Plan funding, but plans are in place to use all the money before the federal deadline of December 2026.

Suffolk received $30,065,296 in ARPA funds and $12,852,406 have been expended, according to city communications director Jennifer Moore.

Here’s a breakdown of how the $12 million is currently being spent:

 

Projects already underway:

Broadband initiatives

The city spent $5 million in support of the Southside Network Authority Regional Broadband Initiative to develop a regional fiber ring in Southside Hampton Roads. The cost of the project has been shared amongst Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

In all, the fiber ring will be 119 miles, with 35 miles of it being in Suffolk.

And that’s not the only broadband project ongoing.

The city also contributed $3 million toward a regional grant initiative being pursued in partnership with the Isle of Wight County and Southampton County, Spectrum Southeast LLC and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. A groundbreaking was held for the project at Southwestern Elementary School in 2022. The initiative, which will in total cost $35 million, is expected to bring high speed broadband service to about 12,000 homes and businesses throughout the three areas.

 

Sewer projects

There are numerous sewer and stormwater projects amongst the money spent so far. 

A million dollars is going toward Williamston water and stormwater system improvements on Third Avenue, and $923,653 is being used for water and sewer expansion and stormwater improvements in the Oakland community, just the start of improvements in that area. Moore said the city recently provided the contractor with a notice to proceed with construction on the Oakland project. 

There are also stormwater improvement projects for Pughsville ($856,193), Lloyd Place and Rosemont ($346,131), Pleasant Hill/South Suffolk ($239,922) and Bunch Avenue, Randolph Street and Marshall Avenue ($41,055).

 

Nonprofit support

In addition to broadband and stormwater, the city is also giving $1,391,452 to nonprofit organizations that provide services to the citizens of Suffolk.

 

Projects still to come

A total of $17,212,890 remain in ARPA funds that have yet been spent, but the city plans to use the remaining funds toward water, sewer and stormwater projects. They are as follows: Oakland water ($2,255,927), Oakland sewer ($9,757,350), Oakland stormwater ($1,030,025), Pughsville stormwater ($1,051,272), Lloyd Place/Rosemont stormwater ($877,698), Pleasant Hill stormwater ($886,379) and Bunch, Randolph, Marshall stormwater ($873,563). That totals $16,732,214, leaving $480,676 to still be utilized.