Bristol Virginia Utilities Board’s (BVU) Southwest Virginia Middle Mile Project is a 388-mile fiber addition to its existing network that would bring up to 10 Gbps middle mile service to a rural, eight-county region of southwestern Appalachian Virginia. Seven of the eight targeted counties qualify as economically distressed, with per-capita incomes that are 80 percent or less of the national average. All eight counties lack adequate broadband services. Building on BVU’s existing network, the project aims to spur connections and improved service to an estimated 120 community anchor institutions, 5,600 households, and 220 businesses in Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wythe Counties.