Bridging the Digital Divide in the US: Planning Innovative State and Local Approaches

by Mildred E. Warner (Editor), Natassia A. Bravo (Editor), Duxixi (Ada) Shen (Editor)

Overview

The US faces a deep digital divide which cuts across both urban and rural lines, but is most marked in rural, low income, and minority communities. This book presents a multi-level governance framework which explores how local leaders use policy opportunity and community resilience to address inequity in broadband infrastructure. Cases from communities across the US are profiled to show how local and regional initiatives address the digital divide – how they harness local resources, state and federal funding, and how they navigate regulatory restrictions and financial constraints. Special attention is given to rural and Indigenous communities, where the technological, organizational, and funding challenges are greatest. The federal policy landscape for broadband is changing, and this book provides clear insights on how policy can support the people and places left behind. This book is essential for planners and those studying or working in rural development, rural studies, and community development.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 license.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040408292
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/16/2025
Series:	Community Development Research and Practice Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	218
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Mildred E. Warner is a Professor of City and Regional Planning and of Global Development and directs the Polson Institute of Global Development. She is an expert on state and local government policy and has published widely on infrastructure, economic development, finance, service delivery and community development.

Natassia A. Bravo received her Ph.D. Candidate in City and Regional Planning. Her research focuses on infrastructure policy, especially rural broadband access. She has published popular reports on broadband policy and local initiative. She and Dr. Warner were winners of the Charles Benton Broadband & Society Prize in 2023. Her research focuses on infrastructure policy, especially rural broadband access, and she has published popular reports on broadband policy and local initiative.

Duxixi (Ada) Shen is an infrastructure planning consultant and former researcher at Cornell whose research focuses on bridging the digital divide in a wide array of communities, including Colorado, Maine, Alaska, and the Choctaw Indian Nation. She received her master's degree in Regional Planning from Cornell.

Table of Contents

Preface Part 1 Policy and Theoretical Background 1. Why Does the Digital Divide Persist in the US? 2. Federal-State Realignment of Broadband and Digital Equity Policy in the United States 3. The Importance of State Policy Design Part 2 Local Initiatives Lead the Way 4. Framework for Local Action 5. Minnesota – An Early Leader in Addressing Rural Broadband 6. Colorado and Maine – Regional and Middle Mile Approaches 7. Getting Around Preemption: The Power of Public-Private Partnerships Part 3 Institutional Leadership for Digital Equity 8. Indigenous Leadership in Addressing the Digital Divide 9. Outreach and Education Responses to the Digital Divide: Research and Action through Cooperative Extension Part 4 Implications for the Future 10. A New Policy Window to Center Digital Inclusion