Sprint eyes Main Street water tower

By: Casha Caponegro
   Sprint is eyeing Cranbury’s water tower as an ideal place to install three cellular communication antennas.
   Township Committee members listened to a presentation by Sprint representative Clifford Shaffer on Monday concerning the installation of three to six wireless communication antennas on the old water tower.
   The antennas would be placed at three different sections of the tower. Each section would initially have one antenna and, ultimately, two antennas later on.
   Mr. Shaffer presented the committee with photographs and preliminary scale drawings of what the antennas would look like.
   This is the second time that the committee has met with Sprint representatives. Mr. Shaffer and another associate, Keith Vallante, originally presented this proposal in August.
   The original proposal received positive reviews from the majority of committee members. Committeemen Greg Overstreet and Tom Gambino, however, questioned the visibility of the highest antenna, which would exceed the height of the water tower.
   "Visually, the antennas would be more intrusive if they project above the water tower," said Mr. Gambino. "They would hide better if they were snugged up against the side of the tower."
   At the August meeting, Mr. Shaffer said the tallest antenna might measure 145 feet from the ground and may be visible because it exceeds the 143.5-foot height of the water tower.
   However, according to sketches presented Monday, the proposed antenna would measure 143.5 feet from the ground and would be equal in height to the peak of the water tower.
   Two more antennas would be attached flush to the sides of the water tower. These antennas would not exceed the tower’s rim and would be concealed by the body of the tower, said Mr. Shaffer.
   Both Mr. Gambino and Mr. Overstreet were satisfied with the sketches presented on Monday night.
   "It looks from the renderings we saw that their proposal would please most people," said Mr. Overstreet.
   "So far Sprint has done the best that they can given their requirements," said Mr. Gambino. "It might be better if all of the antennas were on the barrel of the tower, but that doesn’t appear to meet Sprint’s requirements for their transmissions."
   Although the proposed antennas would be solely for Sprint customers, Mr. Shaffer said the tower would still be open to other wireless carriers if the request came up.
   One Cranbury resident addressed the question of radiation from the cellular antennas.
   "There is only a 1-point-5 to 2 percent radio frequency exposure on ground level," said Mr. Shaffer on Monday, assuring the committee that the proposed antennas were safe. "It is a relatively low-power operation compared to radio or television."
   Some committee members said the installation of cellular antennas might be the ideal way to save the water tower, which has stood idle for approximately four years after it was closed following the detection of radium contamination in the well and tower.
   "Any structure, whether it be historical or modern, needs to have a use or its viability comes into question," said Mr. Gambino. "The water tower is a landmark. It represents the town’s growth."