Signal 2062A: Wolf Hill Road at Melville Road

Signal 2062A is the traffic signal controlling the 3-way intersection of Wolf Hill Road and Melville Road on the hamlet line between Melville and Huntington Station. The signal is scheduled to be rebuilt, with the intersection reconfigured in fall 2018.

History
2062A's initial construction date is unknown, but it was most likely installed in the early 90's and is using the same design to this day. Multiple problems were found with the design, especially the right turn lane from Melville Road to Wolf Hill Road, where drivers stop too close to the signal heads to see the indication, just several feet west of the ramp is a residential street (Pierson Place), completely out of view from traffic coming out of Melville Road, risking accidents. One proposal for the intersection was to remove the signal in favor of roundabout, but due to funding, many school buses in the area, and the back up usually experienced on Wolf Hill Road from the neighboring 2020A, this could not be implemented.

In 2018, the town officially placed funding for 2062A's rebuild. Initially, the signal was to remain for at least another year, until more funding was made available when Signal 2021A's rebuild in Huntington Village received outside funding. This project is set to take place after the completion of the rebuild of Signal 2020A, which will officially make 2062A the last incandescent traffic signal on Wolf Hill Road. The new signal will have its entire intersection excavated and reconfigured, moving the right turn lane on Melville Road right next to the left turn lane.

Design
2062A's current (soon to be former) design is a unique span wire bulb signal, some of the heads use consist of 8" yellow and red lights with a 12" green arrow. There are four of these heads and all of them face Melville Road, 2 for left turns and 2 for right turns. Once the signal is rebuilt, the only signal left with a head of this design will be 2056A in Huntington Station. There is a left turn arrow for eastbound traffic on Wolf Hill Road, therefore right turns from Melville Road are much more frequent. This left turn arrow is only a green, and has no yellow indication, making 2062A the last signal on a town road to have a regular left turn phase without a yellow, but not the last in the town, as 2100A on the county controlled Park Avenue also lacks a yellow arrow. The head found on the telephone pole is a newer LED model, the original was hit by a car that rammed into the pole.

The upcoming design will eliminate the hazardous right turn lane from Melville to Wolf Hill, aligning it alongside the left turn lane. It is currently unknown if the other right turn lane from W/B Wolf Hill to Melville will be eliminated too. The new signal will be one mast arm with all 12" LED heads and PED head crosswalks added to the intersection for the time. The signals design will be likely similar to 2090A also located on Wolf Hill Road, with left turn and right turn Bi-model arrows and 2 crosswalks. The signal will also utilize a single 360 Gridsmart detection camera, and wireless radios will be installed for communication with 2020A.