Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A proposal in its infancy aims to bring broadband hotspots to the area of the Allegheny National Forest that is criss-crossed by the Trails at Jakes Rocks.

As the Trails at Jakes Rocks continue to become a bigger and bigger draw to the area, it will start making more and more sense to improve the infrastructure in the area.

That’s already taken the form of additional restroom facilities on the top of the ridge at the trailhead.

It could in the not too distant future include publicly-available internet.

And, if a proposal in the early stages of planning comes through, we’d have Elon Musk to thank for it.

Jim Decker, president/CEO of the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry, said the chamber — which has been the driving force behind the continued expansion of the TAJR — “has just begun working” with the county and Allegheny National Forest” on a proposal that would bring broadband hot spots to that area.

The source would be Musk’s Starlink initiative.

Satellite internet isn’t a new concept as a means of serving underserved areas but cost and speed have long been issues.

According to Starlink, the program is currently in a beta service but “will continue expansion to near global coverage of the populated world in 2021.”

They explain that the satellites that make up the Starlink system are “over 60 items closer to Earth than traditional satellites” which reduces latency, or the time it takes to send data between points.

“As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and uptime will improve dramatically,” they assert.

“It isn’t available up there yet,” Decker said, but said it’s projected to be available in the Jakes Rocks area by the middle to end of this year.

“It could be a huge step forward in terms of the desirability and safety of the Allegheny National Forest across the board,” he said. “It’s a concept at this point.”

The initial proposal includes eight to 10 hot spots at a cost of about $2,000 per location. There would then be a $1,200 per year service contract. Questions would have to be answered about what locations would be eligible from the perspective of the Forest Service and how to protect and secure the equipment.

“Nothing is going to give us universal coverage at least not in today’s world,” Decker said; but enhancing safety and emergency response is at the forefront of the proposal.

“If we have can create enough of these hot spots,” he said, those with emergency needs “have a much better chance of getting to one of those” or getting to service quicker than they can now.

“(It’s) really going to improve the whole situation for everybody,” he said, calling it a “huge boom for the campgrounds.”

The Warren County Commissioners attempted to push broadband projects with the first stimulus – the CARES Act – but that money had to be spent by the end of 2020.

In response, the county has re-engaged a previously established broadband task force and the industrial development authority (IDA) to continue to work the issue which has been laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The county is set to receive $7.6 million in American Rescue Plan money and one of the uses is broadband. Those funds can be used through 2024.

Decker estimated that $100,000 would cover two to three years of the project for eight to 10 hotspots.

He said he’s aiming to have everyone on board, locations identified, funding secured and administration of the program established so that “as soon as Elon launches enough … satellites, (we can) pull the trigger.”

He cautioned that won’t come in time for the 2021 season but could for 2022.

“That would be my target to have this thing fully functional,” Decker said.

“It seems like a no brainer,” he added, touting the benefits for the marina as well as businesses that would want to run credit cards for events held at Jakes Rocks.

“It’s a game changer for everything going on up there.”