Truss arm setup in New York City

[M3019C LPS20]

In the late 1950s, the D.O.T. of New York City designed and introduced the truss arm setup. Several of its kind were installed at several intersections in different areas. Due to the low amount, it is inferior to the common mast arm/guy wire setup, which first appeared several years earlier in the 1950s decade. This is an example of one that was originally at Times Square in Manhattan. It was first installed sometime in 1959.



As of today, the truss arm setup is on brink of extinction. Within the last 30 years so, many have been removed from service, and, nearly five years ago, only two intersections to my knowledge in New York City had them still in use. Though one of the two eventually met its fate, while the other one is possibly the last truss arm setup. It could be found at the intersection of Flatbush Av. and Nostrand Av. in the borough Brooklyn.

[mrsman]

Great pic of Times Square in the old days!

Of course, if one wants to see signals like this, there are plenty of them in NJ.

[SignBridge]

Very interesting! I've lived in the NYC area my whole life and never knew any of these existed in NYC. As the other poster said they are standard in New Jersey and also at JFK Airport on that extensive roadway system. Port Authority must buy their signal equipment based on New Jersey practice. 

[M3019C LPS20]

I actually forgot about this one in Queens. Make that two remaining survivors. At Astoria Blvd. and 33rd St.

[SignBridge]

I wonder how old those are and how NYC came to buy any of that type.

[Billy F 1988]

- c. 2003

This one in Butte, Montana sort of followed NYC's truss arm design. It's since then gone to straight arms.

[SignBridge]

That one in Montana is more of a California configuration with the back-plate and single-direction signal-head. In this design the mast-arm is at right-angles to the approach, vs. the NYC diagonal configuration.

[M3019C LPS20]

I wonder how old those are and how NYC came to buy any of that type.

Late 1950s to early 1960s. They were intended for wide roads at major intersections in different areas of the boroughs. It was rather short-lived, though, since the mast-arm/guy wire was in favor and still is to this day.

[roadman65]

Glad to see someone brought this up.  I knew that I once saw one in Time's Square several years ago, and another on E 34th Street at the Midtown Tunnel exit road.

I knew of those at JFK and then of course the truss style arms that are at the Holland Tunnel similar to the one's Wisconsin uses and parts of New Jersey for horizontal installations.  These two I always excused because both are PANYNJ jurisdictions, but NYC who is obsessed with double guy mast arms and long brackets even with the implementation of the long mono tube arms many decades ago.

[M3019C LPS20]

The one in Times Square was removed sometime after 1990.