City to Connect to Chicago Via Fiber Optic Line Beneath Lake Michigan

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2026 — Plans for an underwater fiber-optic cable between Chicago and Benton Harbor, Michigan, are going forward as the state’s high-speed broadband program draws closer to completion. Benton Harbor city commissioners signed a 75-year ground lease with Peninsula Fiber Network on June 16. The project is funded by a $61 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded in 2023. Once complete, the fiber-optic cable is expected to provide free internet for seven years to the city’s public facilities, including the library and City Hall. Learn about America250 / Telecom150 Learn about America250 / Telecom150 Benton Harbor is located in southwest Michigan and had a population of 9,103 as of the 2020 census. The connection to Chicago will allow the city to tap into a major digital connection hub. The project is one of three routes being built through the state’s Middle Mile or IMPACC Project. The second route will bring broadband access to Michigan’s Beaver Island, which has long depended on satellites for internet service. The third route will connect the cities of Port Huron and Flint with 111 miles of fiber. Once completed, the Benton Harbor side of the connection will terminate at Jean Klock Park, a local attraction.