People have long complained about a lack of cellphone service in parts of Colonie.

Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey introduced legislation that now makes it easier for Verizon to install small new cell nodes. There’s one on Crumitie off Route 9.

Four have gone up in the last month along the southern Route 9 corridor.

“Which now makes southern Route 9 corridor with as many as 17,000 vehicles a day coming in and out of that corridor, now they can enjoy the public safety of knowing that if they need assistance, they’ll be able to contact public safety from their cars,” Crummey said.

The nodes are meant to push the signal 2,000 feet in all directions. NewsChannel 13 took a ride around to see how service is.

Verizon has applications and permits for nine.

One booster is in the works near the reservoir on Albany Shaker.

“We’re also working with Verizon on installing another antenna in Latham on John Street next to our water tower property,” the supervisor said.

One is expected soon by Raider Boulevard near Colonie High School.

“Of course we want all of our schools to be close to the best signals possible, again, for safety reasons, so that in the event that there’s an occurrence that the word has to get out quickly, that it can be accommodated around all of our schools, as well.”

People simply have to be able to reach emergency services, Crummey said.

“It’s coming to fruition, and we’ve made it easy for them to install these nodes to provide that security for our citizens here in the town of Colonie,” said Crummey. “And Kumi, as you know, not only do we have 86,000 people who live here, but we have as many as a quarter million people passing through this town every day. Cell service in a metropolis of this size in the downtown of the Capital Region should be thorough.”