Politics & Government

Washington Twp. Cell Tower Under Construction

Officials expect the tower to be finished by December 24.

Washington Township residents who complain of poor cell phone service at home are in for a Christmas Eve treat— the new cell tower at the municipal complex is now under construction and is due to be ready by December 24, officials said Monday.

The process to finalize a location, approve and build the tower has taken several years. While some who live near the site have dreaded the 120-foot-tall monopole going up on the hill next to the town hall, others have eagerly awaited its completion.

"I was in my 60s when I started complaining about this. I'm close to 90 now," township resident Ray Bernroth, who is actually 73, joked.

Phone service providers Verizon and AT&T will both have antennas on the tower. They will pay the township $80,000 per year, with the amount increasing slightly annually.

Township police will also be able to install an antenna on the tower.

When it's done, the tower will be surrounded by an 8-foot white vinyl fence. There will also be a small building housing equipment. There will also be enough room for more phone carriers to be added in the future.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here