We feared we were going to have to write an editorial bemoaning that we're about to face another severe, North Country winter without cell-phone coverage on the Northway, but no need.

A drive up or down Interstate 87 now reveals that cell coverage has gaps miles long. The Northway between exits 35 in Peru and 27 in Schroon Lake is virtually dark, in terms of being able to make or receive a cell-phone call. Sometimes, the range is longer; sometimes, intermediate spots offer brief access.

Few issues in the North Country are more on the minds of residents and visitors than the absence of cell coverage. Great amounts of news space and time have been devoted to the deadly consequences of drivers imperiled by their inability to summon help in a crisis along the Northway.

The three North Country representatives to the State Legislature have nagged, cajoled and begged for action. Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) and Assemblywomen Teresa Sayward (R-Willsboro) and Janet Duprey (R-Peru) have all hounded state and corporate officials to spare us another winter with no phone access. (The emergency phones every two miles along the highway are a help if a motorist in trouble can get to them, but, as we now know, that is not always the case.)

We were going to caution, in our editorial, that readers shouldn't blame the delays on the Adirondack Park Agency, the traditional whipping boy on this issue. The agency has worked conscientiously to speed applications through the review process for installation of cell relays, knowing this can be a life-or-death proposition.

As it turns out, the diligent efforts of the APA, in concert with those of Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and RCC Atlantic, have prospects for cell coverage this winter looking promising.

Here is where we stand:

Six new towers along the Northway were approved since last December, in Warrensburg, Schroon Falls, North Hudson -- which was turned on Thursday -- Meadowmount, Poke-o-Moonshine and Lewis.

Other applications were approved near Whiteface, in Black Brook and Peru.

Other locations being reviewed are on Westport Golf Course and in Chester and Warrensburg in Warren County.

A Verizon tower in Paul Smiths is under height review. It would cover parts of Route 86.

A new Verizon tower application in Keene, to cover the Cascades, goes before the APA in November.

A new Verizon tower at the Duane Fire Station is being designed.

And a co-location applications has been submitted to add an AT&T tower in AuSable Forks.

Clearly, the APA and the cell companies have been listening. Initially, we were told construction of these devices were not cost-effective because of the sparse market along the Northway. So it would seem logical to infer that, at the least, the companies took another look; at best, they may be providing the service despite dismal profit projections.