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Adirondack, Northway NY I-87 - Verizon Activates First of 13 New Cell Towers Along Northway "Dead Zone" |
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Suggested ringtone for the next trip to North Hudson: "It's Been a Long Time Coming."
But any ring will be welcome around mile marker 94 for about four miles north and south of Exit 29.
The tower, a tall piece of Verizon Wireless technology, was approved by the Adirondack Park Agency 10 months ago and installed halfway up a small hill on private land behind Gokey's Trading Post.
"We've got the tower up," John O'Malley, spokesman for Verizon, said Tuesday. "That site is very close to going in service, I'd say mid month."
Final tests are being done on the equipment this week.
FIRST ONLINE
It is the first completely new tower designed specifically to add coverage to the Adirondack Northway and the first of Verizon's 18-tower system that will brighten 47 miles of Interstate 87's dark zone.
The plan emerged after a historic agreement hammered out with environmental groups under former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in April 2007, recognizing the need to improve communications for public safety on the major thoroughfare between New York and Montreal.
The improvement is welcomed by drivers, residents and firefighters who form the first-line emergency response.
North Hudson's 21 volunteer firefighters are called out nearly every week to some 10 miles of dark, wilderness Northway, where two tragic accidents at the former Border Patrol checkpoint, several fatal truck crashes, frequent rollovers and an emergency airplane landing have occurred over the past few years.
Fire Chief Jim Colanarie considers the tower a real improvement to public safety.
"It's definitely a long time coming. When people don't have cell service, they seem to panic. This will improve service even on the Blue Ridge road (toward Newcomb)."
The new tower will be able to transmit data, Colanarie said, which assists with more complex emergency-communications systems in ambulance transports from neighboring Schroon and Elizabethtown-Lewis rescue squads.
"It's huge for our town," said North Hudson Town Supervisor Robert Dobie. "We have a Unicel tower here, 39 feet high, but it doesn't cover as much ground as we need."
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Read Comments (4) — Post Yours »
1
Oct 10, 2008 at 11:50 AM about time Says:
b''h , about time, now when i drive to montreal i will be able to talk on the phone
2
Oct 10, 2008 at 02:04 PM huh? Says:
1) NEVER talk on the phone and drive - unless using a bluetooth/handsfree AND its for an emergency;
2) Just switch to GSM network, you dont need cellphone towers & will have 100% coverage everywhere.
3
Oct 10, 2008 at 04:14 PM ha! Says:
“ 1) NEVER talk on the phone and drive - unless using a bluetooth/handsfree AND its for an emergency;
2) Just switch to GSM network, you dont need cellphone towers & will have 100% coverage everywhere. ”
to analyze your decision:
1) more than not were talking about frum families going up there, which means just abit more than one person in the car!
2) oh - gsm networks don't need towers. hm..... interesting. first time i hear of that. or maybe you mean gsm has no towers and therefore has no coverage whatsoever!
4
Oct 12, 2008 at 12:27 AM Oy Gevald Says:
While the local vollies there say it was a long time in coming, we know the credit goes to VIN right here for publicizing the tragic death of a Brooklyn man whose cel phones had no signal at the crash site. Endless blitz' of targeted call-in campaigns to Albany and other officials put them on the high-priority list.
Thanks VIN for getting the job done!!!