Communications towers project completed in Clarion County

Clarion County commissioner Ed Heasley said Wednesday that all the county’s emergency communications towers have been completed.

The county has spent about $2.3 million on the project, which includes new towers in East Brady, Leeper, New Bethlehem, and Shippenville. Equipment at Clarion, Knox, Rimersburg, and St. Petersburg was upgraded.

Heasley said the county has seven towers in the radio system.

“The county had a combination of water tanks and rental tower sites that were both very expensive and some were not producing the coverage we need,” he said.

Heasley said the project will increase that number to eight.

“That increase will provide us with better coverage,” he said. “These towers will also double as broadband hubs and will help us roll out internet coverage within the county which is also critically needed.”

“Constructing four new towers and reworking some of the existing towers will save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Heasley said. “Some of them are going to be existing towers that are part of our current system and some are going to be new towers, combining simulcast communications and upgraded tower sites that will give the county the footprint we are looking for.”

The towers are funded with federal CARES Act money.