Date: Fri 14-Jul-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

a5-telephone-SNET-Ox-Hill-Road

Full Text:

SNET BACKS DOWN ON OX HILL ROAD PLANS

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Southern New England Telephone Company (SNET) has agreed to seek another

location for telephone switching equipment it had planned to install on

town-owned land at the intersection of Ox Hill Road and Mt Nebo Road.

SNET's decision to seek another site comes in response to heavy protests from

residents in that area who charge that putting the equipment there would pose

aesthetic and safety problems.

SNET wants to install fiber-optic switching equipment in that area to meet the

future telephone service needs of its customers, according to Chet Raczka,

SNET's Berkshire Region engineering manager.

The company is considering some options posed by Ox Hill/Mt Nebo area

residents which would allow it to install lower capacity telephone switching

equipment suspended from a utility pole, and potentially to install

larger-scale equipment mounted on a foundation, according to Mr Raczka.

Audrey Petschek of Ox Hill Road said she has suggested an unobtrusive site on

her property where the company might install equipment. That location is one

among about a dozen possible sites she has suggested as alternatives to the

corner of Mt Nebo Road and Ox Hill Road, she said.

Ms Petschek was among the critics of SNET's construction proposal for the Ox

Hill/Mt Nebo intersection.

Ox Hill Road area residents have helped SNET a great deal in terms of locating

potential new equipment installation sites, Mr Raczka said.

SNET has been very open in considering neighborhood residents' concerns about

finding sites for the switching equipment, Ms Petschek said.

Switching equipment which is mounted on a utility pole would have the same

electronic capabilities of larger-scale equipment mounted on a foundation, but

wouldn't have as much telephone circuit capacity, Mr Raczka said.

Mr Raczka noted the Newtown area has one of the highest growth rates in the

state, requiring that SNET install new equipment to relieve heavy loads on

telephone feeder cables. New equipment would provide circuit capacity for

voice telephone, fax telephone, and computer modems, among other

communications devices.

The residents who protested SNET's plans for installing new equipment at the

Ox Hill/Mt Nebo intersection apparently felt that leaving that site untouched

is important, Mr Raczka said. The presence of telephone switching equipment

doesn't pose safety hazards, Mr Raczka noted.

"We want to be a good corporate citizen," he said of SNET's decision to seek

equipment installation elsewhere. Mr Raczka said SNET will approach the town

to learn what steps to take to gain approval for equipment installation.