Signal Communications in the Town of Huntington

In order to ensure proper traffic flow between signalized intersections in the town, certain signals are designed to communicate with each other to maintain a stable flow of traffic on a main road. Signals may either communicate via a wired connection underground or via wireless radios mounted on signals.

## Devices used by the Town

Since the early 2010's, Huntington has been using a modern communication system that allows modifications to be made to signal systems from the office, however, these communications do not synchronize the signals. These connection feeds are given off by what is known as a cable drop, a router located at one signal on a road sending all information back to the town. There are currently 5 cable drops used in the Town of Huntington, with a total of 30 town road traffic signals in communication. A 6th cable drop is planned to be installed.

##### **Round Swamp Road Communications**

The Round Swamp Road cable drop, based at 2183A at Manetto Hill Road and Highhold Drive, isn't used to communicate with other traffic signals, but used to monitor the radar detectors used at the traffic signal. If the neighboring 2147A is rebuilt, or another signal is requested to be installed at the Exit 39 Ramps of the Northern State Parkway, then communications will be set up.

##### **Walt Whitman Road Communications**

Walt Whitman Road's cable drop is based at 2111A on Baylis Road, linking the four signals from Park Drive to the Canon Headquarters together. This strip is also used as a "test strip" for Huntington to test other devices since there are only four signals in communication with each other on the road.

##### **Wolf Hill Road Communications**

Wolf Hill Road's cable drop is based at 2026A at the five corners intersection with Old Country Road and Pidgeon Hill Road. The seven signals between Crandon Street and Winthrop Drive are all in communication with each other. All these signals (except 2169A, which was retrofitted), were rebuilt at the same time to make this possible.

##### **Larkfield Road Communications**

Larkfield Road's cable drop is based at 2154A at the Eastport Shopping Center and is the largest chain of connections in Huntington, with all Larkfield Road Signals (except for 2001A, which is county and the State Signal), along with 2181A on Clay Pitts Road and 2 more signals on Daly Road communicating with each other. All Larkfield Road signal were rebuilt by the town to make this possible, the Clay Pitts Signal and Daly Road Signals were later additions.

##### **Gerard Street Communications**

Gerard Street's cable drop is based at 2023A at West Neck Road, communicating with 2022A at Wall Street and 2114A at the intersection of Wall Street and Central Street. 2124A, 2119A, and 2021A are all planned to be rebuilt, and all 3 signals have the potential to receive communications.

##### **Future New York Avenue Communications**

New York Avenue is the next scheduled road to receive modern communications, with the cable drop to be based at 2020A at Wolf Hill Road once rebuilt. 2053A, 2054A and 2055A are all rebuilt and prepared to be linked up. The rebuilt 2062A located east of 2020A will also be apart of the this string. Later on, communications with be extended south to 2092A, 2176A, and 2040A (all 3 will be retrofitted, not rebuilt), then west to 2184A at Old Country Road and Shaftsbury Lane. 2158A at Old South Path and Old East Neck Road is also being studied as another link.

## Devices used by the County

Suffolk County's uses an older communication system known as a closed loop system, County Signals either have wires running under roads connecting to another signal, or are equipped with mHz radio antennas to communicate with each other ensure synchronized green phases along corridors. Suffolk county still installs these systems today in the town on Huntington. The closed loops don't stretch the entirety of the signals on county routes, but between sections of Signals that are close together. Just like town signals, a cable drop is used to control segments of road, and some older signals have received modern cabinets in order to communicate.

##### **Pulaski Road and Oakwood Road: 2030A to 2109A**

Signal 2042A at the intersection of Oakwood Road and West Rogues Path is the location of a cable drop connecting 6 signals together, communicating south on Oakwood with 2033A and 2030A, and north on Oakwood Road to 2007A and 2069A, as well as 2109A at the intersection of Pulaski Road and Railroad Street. Interconnect is used between 2033A and 2030A, and between 2042A and 2069A. The sections between 2033A and 2042A, and between 2007A and 2109A are wireless radios.

##### **Woodbury Road: 2097A to 2159A**

Signal 2171A at the intersection of Woodbury Road and West Rogues Path is the location of a cable drop connecting 4 signals together. This small ccircuit is exclusively interconnect consisting of 2097A and 2078A located to the west by the Cold Spring Harbor LIRR Station, and to 2159A to the east at Pulaski Road.

##### **Pulaski Road and Park Avenue: 2006A to 2100A**

Signal 2004A at the intersection of Park Avenue and Pulaski Road is the location of a cable drop connecting 8 signals together. 2004A communicates in 3 directions, west on Pulaski all the way to 2006A at Depot Road, one signal east to 2041A at Lake Road, and north on Park Avenue to 2100A at Dunlop Road. Interconnect is used between 2087A and 2041A on Park Avenue and between 2104A and 2100A. All other connections are wireless radios.

##### **Pulaski Road: 2049A to 2001A**

The largest closed loop system in Huntington is on the portions of Pulaski Road in Greenlawn, Elwood, and East Northport, with a total of 16 signals in communication. The cable drop for this system is based at Signal 2123A by the TJ Lahey elementary school. The original system was entirely interconnect from 2049A at Butterfield Drive to 2140A at 6th Street, with an additional branch off of 2011A at Cuba Hill Road running south to 2012A at the intersection of Cuba Hill Road and Broadway Greenlawn. Since then, more signals were added via mostly radios. The Elwood Road project added 2155A and 2036A both located north of 2002A, these 2 signals already communicated together in the past via interconnection, so radios were only needed between 2155A and 2002A. Communications were also extended eastward on Pulaski Road with radios connecting 2140A to 2001A at Larkfield Road. The most recent addition to this system was Signal 2034A at the intersection of Broadway Greenlawn and Little Plains Road, which communicates with 2012A to the north also via radios. While very close, 2170A at BAE systems north of 2011A is not apart of the system, but it is likely to be included in the future.

##### **Pulaski Road: 2029A to Smithtown**

Signal 2152A at the intersection of Pulaski Road and Deposit Road is the location of a cable drop connecting 3 signals, west of Pulaski to 2029A to Old Bridge Road, as well as east at the Smithtown owned Traffic Signal intersection with Bread and Cheese Hollow Road, known by Suffolk County as Signal 308. This system is entirely wireless radios, with some repaters used between 2152A and the Smithtown signal.