Broadband and electric expanded to Greenwood Lake, Tom Lake, and Camp 20 Rd in summer 2025

Home and cabin owners in the Greenwood Lake, Tom Lake, and Lost Lake areas will soon have access to broadband and electric services.

Starting in late spring, Arrowhead Cooperative will continue progress to expand broadband services to remote areas of Cook County. The initiative is funded by the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). It aims to bridge the digital divide by investing billions nationwide to build and expand broadband networks in rural areas of the U.S.

In 2025, Arrowhead Cooperative will install 9.73 miles of fiber and power infrastructure up the Gunflint Trail in the Greenwood Lake area.

“There’s obviously a lot of excitement about that,” said Arrowhead Cooperative CEO John Twiest. “We get called daily.”

Farther east, up the Arrowhead Trail, Arrowhead Cooperative will install 1.65 miles on Island View and South Timber Rd near Tom Lake and 10.29 miles on Camp 20 to the Lost Lake area.

“What this allows is that those places out there that want to be connected to the grid and want to have internet access will have the availability to do that,” said Twiest.

This summer, work will also continue along the Irish Creek Rd and in the McFarland area to enhance connectivity and service. In 2024, 34.6 miles of fiber and electric services were installed in the area and along the Arrowhead Trail.

Looking ahead to the coming years, Twiest said Arrowhead Cooperative has installation plans through 2029 and will expand coverage to the north and west sides of Cook County.

WTIP’s Mark Abrahamson spoke with Arrowhead Cooperative CEO John Twiest about the 2025 expansion of broadband services. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins March 30, 2025