Andrea Macko reports for Porcupine Soup that 52 percent of homes and 56 percent of businesses in Durham in Greene County currently lack access to broadband internet service, a new report says. The Broadband Working Group of Durham Connect, the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee unveiled a draft of the report at the town's meeting Oct. 5. “The internet has become a crucial part of our lives, just like roads, electricity and the telephone. But many parts of Durham have no access to the internet, or only have access that is expensive, slow, and unreliable,” the report states. “Only wired broadband (co-axial or fiber-optic cable), which is available to most people throughout the U.S., can provide the speed and reliability necessary to transmit the data-rich solutions that they need from the internet.” The report says that 49 of the 120 miles of roads within Durham will still not be wired for broadband this year and at least 730 of 1,790 addresses don't have access wired broadband. The report says it would cost $1.52 million to wire all the Durham roads. Durham Supervisor Shawn Marriott said the town board will read the report and decide on a course of action at the November town meeting. Read more about this story at Porcupine Soup.