Huntington Station Sewer Project Details and Estimated Timeline For Completion

The Huntington Station Business Improvement District’s monthly meeting in the Huntington Public Library – Station Branch featured a special presentation, organized by Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin, on the upcoming 66 million dollar Huntington Station Sewer Project roughly estimated to break ground mid-July 2025 on New York Avenue and West 13th Street, progressing North to 2^nd Avenue. Chief Engineer Janice McGovern and Matt Roberts, Collection System Supervisor Sewer District No. 3 from Suffolk County Department of Public Works presented detailed maps, estimated timelines and photographs (featured below) of the type of work required and what neighbors can expect throughout the year and a half long process. Town of Huntington Deputy Supervisor John McCarron discussed details about the Town and New York State’s roles and coordination with Suffolk County to bring the long-awaited sewers to fruition. Huntington Station BID Board Members, business owners, community and faith leaders, residents, and a representative from the Huntington Community First Aid Squad came prepared with questions including the costs for property owners, the connection process, accessibility for first responders, and communication about the progress.

Legislator Rebecca Sanin together with Liz Alexander, Suffolk County Government Liaison, were acknowledged for their passion, commitment and hard work to continually move this project forward. Janice McGovern shared that a groundbreaking scheduled this soon in the process is a credit to their diligence. This project is personal for them as Legislator Sanin is a long time Huntington Station resident, raising her family here and Elizabeth Alexander researched and worked on the sewer project since its inception 7 years ago as a Legislative Aide for former Suffolk County Legislator William Spencer.

Janice McGovern shared during a sewer project the most frequent complaints their office receives are quality of life issues – bright lights, loud noises, vibration and beeping from the construction equipment overnight while people are trying to sleep. Ms. McGovern said “I feel bad, especially when children, the sick or elderly can’t sleep. They ask us to turn the beeping off on the trucks, but I have to explain to them that we can’t because it’s a safety measure for the workers.” Janice frequently referenced the Kings Park sewer project that was recently completed and invites Huntington Station residents to drive through Kings Park’s town to see an example of what Huntington Station will look like when completed. ALAC Contracting installed the Kings Park sewers and is the contractor for Huntington Station. She said, “We really didn’t get a lot of complaint calls during Kings Park”.

• The area receiving the sewers is New York Avenue from the Huntington Train Station South to East 15th Street AND Depot Road from New York Avenue to East 9th Street AND 1^st Avenue from Depot Road to East 9^th Street AND East Pulaski Road from New York Avenue to Depot Road, including the 5 corners.
• 9 intersecting side streets will receive approximately 150 feet of sewer lines AFTER the main trunk lines described above are completed. The side streets are West 11^th Street and East 11^th Street; West 10^th Street and East 10^th Street; West Pulaski Road; West 4^th Street (for 1 block); East 2^nd Street (for 1 block); East 4^th Street; East 5^th Street; East 8^th Street and East 9^th Street.
• Most of the area will be using a gravity fed system. The exception will be the 5 corners area and New York Avenue between West 13th Street and East 15th Street.
• A new pump station will be installed at West 13th Street and 4th Avenue on property purchased by Suffolk County.
• The majority of the sewer work will occur South of East 15th Street to connect Huntington Station to the Southwest Sewer District at Bergen Point in the Town of Babylon.
• A new Force Main line will be installed under New York Avenue from East 15th Street to the back of the Whitman Shops, South of Jericho Turnpike, connecting to an upgraded pump station and joining an existing line that runs South down New York Avenue to Old Country Road in Melville.
• The sewer line South of East 15th Street will be high pressure. Additional properties will NOT be able to connect at this time.
• A new Force Main Extension will be installed from Old Country Road in Melville, South following New York Avenue and Old East Neck Road – South of the Long Island Expressway to Half Hollow Road and Pinelawn Road, turning onto Corporate Center Drive to Maxess Road behind the Huntington Quadrangle to connect to the existing Force Main leading to the Bergen Point Sewer Plant.
• The $66 million funding was provided by Federal, State, County and Town grant programs for infrastructure. There are NO BONDS needed for the sewer project to date.
• For more information, reference these articles from HuntingtonNow: 2021 Town, County Agree on $44-Million Sewer Project for Huntington Station; 2022 $22 Million From State for Sewer Service to Homes in Huntington Station; 2023 Huntington Station Sewer Plan Outlined; 2023 State Awards $10 Million for Huntington Station Revitalization.

What Neighbors Can Expect:

• Road closures in sections with overnight work including heavy equipment, bright lights, vibrations, banging, beeping and other noises for approximately 1 month (depending on the area) until the Contractor moves to a new section.
• Temporary road condition issues like asphalt patches, metal plates and temporary paving. Final paving will be provided by New York State in June 2026.
• A beautiful New York Avenue after the Summer of 2026!
• Side Street construction into 9 neighborhoods begins after the main line is finished.

The Details:

• Construction will be completed in sections, detailed on the maps (images below). Each section will take approximately 1 month to complete.
• All New York Avenue work will be done at night, which may impact some businesses that are open late.
• It is likely that the sewer lines will run down the middle of the road due to multiple factors required in the scope of work.
• New York Avenue’s pavement will be removed and large trenches up to 25 feet deep will be dug and reinforced (see photos).
• All work is required to be covered with either metal plates or temporary asphalt each morning to open the road and accommodate daily traffic.
• The main pipe is installed first and is deeper underground. After the main pipe is completed, work will begin on extending approximately 150 feet of line down 9 side streets. These pipes are run above the main – less deep underground – and the work will be completed during daytime hours, so expect some traffic disruption.
• Suffolk County and the Contractor will coordinate in advance with local ambulance and fire departments to plan the detours around the required routes for first responders. The Contractor will accommodate urgent transportation needs for immediate neighbors impacted by road closures.  
• Directional drilling under New York Avenue will be used to connect the line from East 15^th Street to Whitman Shops.
• Due to mixed ground elevation, Suffolk County will install grinder pumps on the properties around the 5 corners of Depot Road and East Pulaski Road that are dark grey on the map. The pumps and installation are included in the project cost and will be given to the property owner for free, to be maintained by the property owner. The visible ground-level covers for the pumps are the approximate size of a garbage can lid.
• The old Rotondo property off of New York Avenue along the railroad tracks, behind 7-11 and behind the commuter parking lot will be used as the staging area for ALAC Contracting’s needs.

Connecting:

• Connections are scheduled to begin in 2028.
• It is mandatory for properties to connect to the sewers. As per Suffolk County Sewer Code 740, after 1 year of sewers being available, properties are required to connect to the sewers or may face penalties. Janice McGovern said Suffolk County will work with property owners if they need a short extension.
• Property owners have to pay to connect to the sewers with an authorized contractor – a list of contractors was provided, with several in Huntington. The Chief Engineer highly recommends businesses begin getting estimates now so they can save and be prepared.

• Suffolk County is exploring grant opportunities for property owners to connect.
• Connecting to the new sewer requires waste lines be moved to the front of the building, abandoning the existing cesspool, following Suffolk County’s guidelines. The contractors performing the connection can assist with abandoning protocols.
• The cost of connection depends on the type of business operating on the property. High waste volume businesses like restaurants and laundromats require specialized equipment to manage their waste needs so their cost can be $25,000-$30,000 as opposed to a retail clothing store or an office at approximately $15,000-$20,000 to connect. Single family homes are less expensive, an exact estimate wasn’t mentioned. These estimates are for 2024/2025.

Questions and Answers:

• Can businesses begin new building construction projects before the sewers are completed? Answer: The Town is in discussions about this option, but as of right now, they have to wait for the sewers to be completed unless they have adequate cesspool capacity for their project.
• Will there be compensation for business owners who have structural damage as a result of the underground work? Answer: This is not a common occurrence. For all kinds of damage, Suffolk County facilitates the meeting between the business and the Contractor’s insurance company first where claims are typically paid.
• If the Huntington Station Sewer Project finds surprises underground and the project goes over-budget, how is that handled? Answer: Suffolk County has a contingency set aside in the budget for the unexpected, which is anticipated.
• When New York State paves New York Avenue, will they make roadway improvements like crosswalks, curb cuts, etc.? Answer: The State’s job is to pave curb to curb June 2026. All other improvements fall under “Streetscape Improvements” which won a portion of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds. There will be more meetings with the community before any Streetscape work begins.

• How can neighbors find out about updates related to the sewer project? Answer: The Town of Huntington will add a page to their website with updated information. Huntington Matters will update the community when new information becomes available. For Questions or Complaints, call Suffolk County Public Relations: 516-422-7421.

Estimated Schedule – a guideline ONLY – dates can change based on multiple factors during construction that can’t be anticipated in advance:

2025
Mid-July 2025: New York Avenue and West 13th Street heading North section.
July to August 2025: New York Avenue and East 11^th Street section.
July to November 2025: New York Avenue between Old Country Road and Old East Neck Road, Melville.
August 2025 to September 2026: Installation of new West 13^th Street Pump Station on county parcel at West 13^th Street and 4^th Avenue.
August to December 2025: Old East Neck Road, Melville between Old South Path and Altamore Street.
September to October 2025: New York Avenue and East Pulaski Road section.
September to October 2025: East Pulaski Road between New York Avenue and 1^st Avenue.
September to November 2025: Old East Neck Road, Melville – Long Island Expressway crossing.
October 2025: East 2^nd Street to New York Avenue.
October 2025: East 1^st Street and New York Avenue.
October to December 2025: New York Avenue between West Hills Road and East 19^th Street.
October 2025 to January 2026: Old East Neck Road, Melville between Altamore Street and Grossman Street.
November to December 2025: New York Avenue between East 14^th Street and East 15^th Street section.
November to December 2025: New York Avenue between Whitman Shops and Old Country Road, Melville – servicing of existing manholes with minimal disturbance to traffic.
December 2025 to February 2026: Depot Road at New York Avenue.
December 2025 to March 2026: Old East Neck Road, Melville between Esteves Court and North Service Road of the Long Island Expressway.

2026
January 2026: Depot Road between New York Avenue and East 3^rd Street.
January to February 2026: New York Avenue between East 19^th Street and East 21^st Street.
February to March 2026: New York Avenue between East 21^st Street and East 23^nd Street.
February to May 2026: New York Avenue and East 23^rd Street section.
February to June 2026: East Pulaski Road – East of 1^st Avenue.
February to June 2026: Depot Road between East Pulaski Road and East 8^th Street.
March to April 2026: Depot Road between East 8^th Street and East 9^th Street AND the East 9^th Street extension.
March to May 2026: Installation of concrete aprons, sidewalks and curbs from North to South on New York Avenue.
March to May 2026: Old East Neck Road, Melville between the South Service Road of the Long Island Expressway and Eton Street.
March to July 2026: Depot Road and East Pulaski Road at the 5 corners.
March to July 2026: Old East Neck Road, Melville between Eton Street and Half Hollow Road.
April to May 2026: New York Avenue between East 24^th Street and Jericho Turnpike.
April to May 2026: New York Avenue at Albany Street section.
May to June 2026: New York Avenue at Greenland Drive section.
May to June 2026: New York Avenue at Saddler Court section.
May to July 2026: Half Hollow Road, Melville between Old East Neck Road and Pinelawn Road.
May to September 2026: Pinelawn Road, Melville between Half Hollow Road and Corporate Center Drive.
June 2026: New York State scheduled to pave New York Avenue from Jericho Turnpike to Depot Road. Sewer work in this area must be completed before this date!
June to July 2026: New York Avenue behind Whitman Shops behind Bloomingdales AND upgrade of Pump Station at Whitman Shops.
July to November 2026: Corporate Center Drive, Melville between Maxess Road and Pinelawn Road.
August to September 2026: 1^st Avenue from Depot Road to East Pulaski Road.
September to October 2026: East 4^th Street from New York Avenue.
September 2026 to February 2027: 1^st Avenue off of East 9^th Street.
October to February 2026: Old East Neck Road, Melville between Grossman Street and Esteves Court.
October to November 2026: West 4^th Street between 3^rd Avenue and New York Avenue.
November to December 2026: East 5^th Street from New York Avenue.
December 2026: FINAL CONNECTION POINT of the New Force Main Extension at the Huntington Quadrangle area.

2027
January to February 2027: East 9^th Street between New York Avenue and 1^st Avenue.

2028
Connections of properties to the new sewer system begin.