I read about this when researching meshnets about a year ago. Along similar lines, Portland has its own meshnet, but I am not sure if the project is still active.
https://portlandmeshnet.org/
So does Toronto, and some other cities I seem to be forgetting.
I find this idea really enticing, and it is a goal of mine to start a meshnet in my own city. Unfortunately, the subculture here is small and music-oriented, and the techies I know are all about business, and wouldn't be in on a project like this unless they could make significant cash. I have been offered some money to build a startup around this idea, but could find no suitable method for monetizing it that wouldn't sacrifice my ethical values and basic idea. So, one day.
