Project Overview
The Alaska FiberOptic Project is a project funded through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). A grant for $50.6 million was funded in August 2022 for the construction of a fiberoptic network connecting the villages of Fort Yukon, Beaver, Stevens Village, Rampart and Tanana to provide access to high-speed, affordable internet connectivity. The project serves as a fiber-optic “backbone” that will enable future projects to connect additional villages.
Reroute Plan
A sonar scan of Yukon River route in the summer of 2025 showed challenging conditions in the Yukon River below Rampart. The swift current downriver from Rampart in the “rapids” section of the Yukon River prevents sediment from depositing on the river bottom. As a result, the fiber cannot be buried in the sediment and would be exposed to debris swept along the river bottom that could damage the fiberoptic cable. Consequently, a plan was developed to install the fiber overland along the Elliott Highway and is undergoing environmental review and approval before construction can begin for that section of the project. The revised overland route will install fiber along the Elliott Highway from near Livengood to Manley Hot Springs with fiber spurs going to Rampart via the Eureka Road and to Tanana via the Tofty/Tanana Road and approximately six miles of fiber down the Yukon River to Tanana.
A benefit of the proposed reroute is that it will allow for other projects to connect the villages of Manley Hot Springs and Minto. This is in line with the goal of expanding access to high-speed internet within the Doyon/Tanana Chiefs Conference Region. This project will serve as a “backbone” network that will allow villages, now and in the future, to connect to the internet via high-speed broadband.
The project was originally expected to be completed by Friday, July 31, 2026. Due to the need to reroute a portion of the project, Doyon requested a time extension to accommodate the supplemental environmental review and required permitting. The extension will extend the completion date to December 2027.
Recap of Work Done in 2025
Construction during the 2025 construction season included clearing and installation of approximately 110 miles of underground conduit along the Elliot Highway. Approximately 20 miles of fiberoptic cable was installed in the conduit during fall 2025.
Of the approximately 18 miles of planned overhead cable installation along the Elliott Highway, six miles have been completed. The conduit under the Yukon River Bridge was installed in December 2025. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company and the Department of Transportation representatives were both onsite and observed the conduit installation.
Network Interface Devices (NIDS)
The installation of fiberoptic cable to the homes and the installation of the network interface devices (NIDS) on the homes for the communities of Fort Yukon, Stevens Village, Beaver, Rampart, and Tanana is now 100% complete. If your home did not get a NID, please reach out to Angela Ludwick, Doyon’s Village Outreach Liaison at 907-459-2000, 1-888-478-4755 or ludwicka@doyon.com.
Plan for 2026
The Department of Natural Resources issued the river easement and permit in late summer 2025, which was too late to schedule the vessels to install the cable and exit the river safely before freeze-up. Cable laying in the Yukon River is now scheduled for late July 2026. Cable installation will start in Fort Yukon and end 200 miles west at the Yukon River Bridge.
The remaining work for 2026 will consist of:
- Laying fiber optic cable in the Yukon River from Fort Yukon to the Yukon River Bridge;
- Installing fiber along the Elliott Highway from Livengood to Manley Hot Springs, then to Tanana via the Tanana/Tofty Road and Rampart via the Eureka Road; and
- Installing prefabricated communication shelters in each community.
Doyon, Limited is proud to be a part of this important infrastructure project for our region.
