Balloons Hang Over New Canaan for Cell Tower Test

NEW CANAAN, Conn. – Those two big red balloons residents may have noticed high over New Canaan on Friday morning were put up to gauge how a proposed cell tower might better serve the town.

A pair of red balloons were lifted over a New Canaan property Friday to test the site for location of a Verizon cell phone tower.
Photo Credit: *Melvin Mason*

by Melvin Mason

01/25/2013 12:50 p.m.

The 3-foot diameter balloons were lifted by crane above the property at 82 Puddin Hill Road by All-Points Technology Corporation, an environmental consulting firm for Verizon. One was flown at 100 feet, the minimum height necessary for a communications tower. The other was flown at 126 feet, the height for a tower with a wind turbine.

The balloons are connected to sensors that can detect phone signals to help determine the suitability of the site for a tower.

The site is in the northeast corner of town, not far from the New York border.

Verizon is considering installing a monopole on the site to improve cell coverage in the area. The company has yet to file an application with the Connecticut Siting Council, which would have to approve the location.

Town officials and many residents have complained for years about a lack of adequate service outside of the downtown area. However, neighbors of proposed sites have objected, citing concerns about health and aesthetics.

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