Plainview Firm Awarded Traffic Light Contract

A Plainview electronics firm has the green light to upgrade traffic signals in Huntington.

The  approved a $1.822 million contract for the upgrade of 11 traffic signals on a heavily traveled road stretching from East Northport to Commack. The one-year contract, almost entirely funded by federal and state grants, authorized Plainview-based Welsbach Electric Corp. of Long Island to upgrade or rebuild the traffic signals along Larkfield Road, from Daly Road in Commack to Bellerose Avenue in East Northport.

The federal grant is $1,450, 400; the state grant is $271,950 and the local match is $99,650. Sealed bids were due March 3. Welsbach was the low bidder.

The project will also include the installation of a centralized traffic control system in Town Hall that will allow the management of traffic signals throughout the town remotely.

 The centralized system will be able to accommodate all town signalized intersections and allow the timing of traffic signals to be based on time-of-day/day-of-week or traffic responsive control. The system will also allow the town to manage traffic signals to improve air and noise quality, reduce vehicle emissions and delays and manage roadway capacity along Town roads.

“Improving the flow of traffic helps everybody. Motorists get to their destinations more smoothly, pedestrians cross streets more safely and residents near the roads breathe cleaner air," Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. "This project will help bring state of the art technology to Huntington's traffic management and improve our environment."