Hunterdon County commissioners have approved a contract for SM Electric Group to construct a communications tower dedicated to public safety in New Jersey, US.

The $1.45m contract was finalised at the Hunterdon County board meeting on 16 January 2024. 

The new radio communications tower will be erected on Jugtown Mountain. 

The Bethlehem Tower project is designed to bolster radio communications for police, county rangers, firefighters, and emergency medical services in the region.

It is expected to benefit the greater Bethlehem Township, Bloomsbury, and Union Township regions. 

It is also intended to enhance radio coverage along the Route 78 corridor.

Department of Public Safety liaison and commissioner John Lanza said: “This project is a significant investment in public safety and will help ensure that first responders have the tools they need to keep county residents safe. As a board, we are happy to see this project come to fruition and look forward to the benefits it will bring to the community. 

“The new tower will help eliminate existing dead spots, particularly in the rural parts of the county, and better allow first responders to communicate directly with each other from all county agencies. These are all things that are especially crucial and extremely useful in the event of an emergency.”