State DOT Shuts Down Southampton Town's Plan To Blink Water Mill Traffic Light During Rush Hour Commute

The State Department of Transportation has shut down a town initiative to blink the stoplight on Montauk Highway near the Water Mill Shops during busy traffic periods, citing safety concerns.

Tom Neely, the director of public transportation and traffic safety for Southampton Town, said on Tuesday that the state advised the town to stop blinking the lights—an initiative the town tested in an effort to speed up traffic during the morning rush hour.

“We put it on hold for the moment, and we are deciding how to proceed,” Mr. Neely said of the blinking lights.

Stephen Canzoneri, a DOT public information officer, said in a statement that the state had concerns about the safety implications of the blinking light.

“Safety is our top priority,” Mr. Canzoneri said. “Putting the signal in flashing mode during the morning rush hour would remove the pedestrian signal phase, creating potentially unsafe conditions for pedestrians and transit riders at the nearby bus stop. It would also create a substantial burden for motorists exiting the side street.

“We recently adjusted the signal to semi-actuating,” he added, meaning that it will change from green to red for traffic on Montauk Highway when a vehicle on the side street triggers a sensor. He said that “is expected to mitigate traffic congestion at this intersection. We will continue to monitor the road to ensure safe, efficient travel conditions for all users.”

Last month, the town tested blinking the light in an effort to speed up traffic. At the time, a traffic study conducted by the town showed that the blinking light would trim at least eight minutes off commute times in the morning rush hour.

Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town is not giving up on its efforts to speed up rush hour traffic.

“It’s too bad because it was actually cutting about 10 minutes off the commute,” Mr. Schneiderman said. “We’re not giving up on that.”

Using blinking lights to improve the flow of vehicles during rush hour has been part of the town’s strategy for months. In fact, blinking traffic lights were an anchor in the town’s traffic plan during the recent U.S. Open golf tournament that brought tens of thousands of visitors to the East End.

During the U.S. Open town officials blinked a handful of lights, including ones in front of the Water Mill Shops on Montauk Highway, near the County Road 39 and Tuckahoe Road intersection in Shinnecock Hills, and near the Montauk Highway and St. Andrews Road intersection in Tuckahoe.