Installation Of 5G Towers In Wash Heights Paused After Pol Speaks Out

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — The installation of a 32-foot 5G pole in Washington Heights has been paused after residents spoke out about the installation to a local elected official.

Uptown Council Member Carmen De La Rosa reached out to the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation about pausing the installation of one of the internet-bringing towers at 689 Fort Washington Ave., near West 190th Street.

"The holes created by construction will be filled in for the meantime for safety purposes," De La Rosa wrote. "Thanks to our constituents on Fort Washington for alerting us.

Residents can submit concerns and questions about the 5G pole to district10@council.nyc.gov that De La Rosa's office will forward to the public process used to determine where these towers go.

Some neighborhoods have already pushed back against the towers, objecting to their sheer size and aesthetic impact on the streetscape.

As Patch reported earlier this month, a public list maintained by the city shows the dozens of sites where the Office of Technology and Innovation is eyeing new 5G towers, including three spots in Upper Manhattan.

The towers are also expected to be installed at 727 Fort Washington Ave., in front of the Jacob Javits Playground, and at 11 Nagle Ave, near Hillside Avenue.

It is unclear what the timeline of these two other towers will be.

There are also many more likely to follow: the city has said it aims to deploy 2,000 of the towers in the coming years, focusing on the outer boroughs and Manhattan north of 96th Street.

Similar to the first-generation LinkNYC kiosks, the 5G towers will provide access to free Wi-Fi, USB charging, nationwide calling, and 911 and 311, with some also including digital advertising screens.

The new 5G poles began their citywide rollout in 2022, with Mayor Eric Adams unveiling one of the first such towers in the Bronx in July.