Why Is Verizon Going To Fly A Giant Balloon Over Western New York?

Living in Buffalo and Western New York often means that we deal with some unique things that don’t happen in other communities.

In most communities, you often don’t see a surge in folding table sales before a professional football game. Most places in America don’t see full-blown fights break out when someone has the audacity to ask for a side of ranch dressing when a single or double order of wings lands at the table. And of course, you rarely see people driving their jeep on a Great Lake - but all these things are rather routine in the Buffalo area.

However, something is scheduled to happen in Cheektowaga that you don’t see every day, and it is sure to have plenty of people asking why, and what is going on.

Why Is Verizon Going To Fly A Giant Balloon Over Western New York?

Having fast and reliable cell service and internet access is something that has grown to be a much relied on part of life in modern society. There was once a time in history when having access to a phone or internet was not considered a necessity, but those days are long gone as the technology we have is required for day-to-day life to function.

To help aid that, telecommunications company Verizon is looking to build a new communications tower in Cheektowaga and in order to do that they need to do something kind-of different on the site.

According to an alert from the Town of Cheektowaga, Verizon will be flying a rather large balloon to test the location of their proposed tower. While it will be weird to see this big balloon flying near the 190, it’s a routine thing communications companies need to do.

On on Saturday, May 10, 2025, starting at 10 am, Verizon will be flying the balloon near the William Street interchange at the 190. If the weather doesn't cooperate, then they have scheduled a rain date for Monday, May 12, 2025.

When the new communications tower is built, that area of town will have better access to technology.