About The Oldest Traffic Light In America
Both NY traffic lights are the last of their kind still in use in America today
Dummy Lights were early traffic lights (and crash hazards) mounted in the middle of intersections where traffic cops used to stand. Dummy traffic lights were commonly used in the early days of traffic signaling when automatic control systems were not yet available.
They were also used in rural areas or at low-traffic intersections where the cost of installing and maintaining automatic systems was not justified. Today, dummy traffic lights in America are extremely rare and have largely been replaced by automatic systems.
Croton-on-Hudson, New York and Beacon, New York can both lay claim to having the oldest traffic light in America. Both traffic lights, installed in 1926, are still in use today and are known as a dummy light. Both lights are non-approved devices by current DOT standards.
Both of these dummy traffic lights are considered to be the oldest continuously operated traffic lights in America and are the last two of their kind still in use in America. A third one, located in Canajoharie upstate New York, was permanently removed in 2022 after being hit by a semi-truck several months earlier in November of 2021.
The Beacon, NY dummy light was damaged during road work in August 2021. The City of Beacon replaced the repaired light several months later. The dummy light, which stands between Main and East Main Streets (528 Main Street), is a local landmark and even has its own Facebook page.
Beacon, NY is very proud of this dummy traffic light, celebrating it on t-shirts, jewelry, paintings, shopping bags, and even souvenir dummy lights. It has become a popular spot for photos among residents and visitors alike.
In Croton-on-Hudson, part of the brick base of the 1926 light covers a village cistern that supplied water to upper Grand Street and connected to another cistern at the bottom of Mt. Airy Road until 1929. The portion of the brick base that is triangular in shape and points toward Old Post Road South was added later to protect the cistern from being hit by motor vehicles.
This oldest traffic light has twelve 15-watt LED lights inside. Each LED light is expensive but lasts a long time. The side facing west does not have working lights since they are not needed for traffic control.
When the dummy light was first installed, there was a light underneath facing down towards the street, allowing the bottom of the structure to be illuminated and making it easier for drivers to see the entire fixture.
The actual metal structure holding the oldest traffic light in America is about seven feet tall. Croton’s dummy light is such a beloved landmark that it was depicted on a “Village Tie” in the 1960s. The town of Croton-on-Hudson proudly has its own web page for the traffic light.
Today, the dummy traffic lights in both Beacon, NY and Croton-on-Hudson, NY are an iconic symbol of the city's character and a reminder of its small-town charm. They serve as a unique and interesting piece of local history, attracting attention and appreciation from those who encounter it.
