Highway Department Programs

Road Reconstruction & Paving

The highway department's program of road improvements include drainage, asphalt overlay, and road reconstruction projects.

Basins and Recharge Basins

The highway department maintains the town’s drainage catch basins and recharge basins (“sumps”). If you know of a problem with a catch basin or recharge basin, please call us at (631) 360-7500.

Note: Recharge basins play an important role in replenishing groundwater. It is our policy to leave recharge basins in as natural a state as possible. This means we cannot spray recharge basins with pesticides or weed killers. If you have concerns about mosquitoes or other insects, please contact Suffolk County Vector Control.

Shade Trees

Shade trees, that is, trees alongside a town road within the town’s right of way, are, in general, the responsibility of the highway department. However, if you have a problem with a shade tree, please call the Department of Environment and Waterways (DEW) at (631) 360-7514. DEW will inspect the tree and determine the best course of action.

Permits

Generally speaking, the highway department is responsible for just about everything within the town's right of way. The town's right of way is the area between the front edge of your property line and the front edge of the property line across the street. It usually does not correspond to the curbline. As a rule of thumb, if you want to do something anywhere within the town's right of way, you are going to need a permit. These come in two types: road closing permits and road opening permits.

Road Closing Permits

These are popularly called block party permits because a block party is just about the only reason for which you can get a permit to close your road. The request for this permit must be done in writing. You may obtain the application form in person at the Highway Department offices at 758 Smithtown By-Pass, Smithtown (next to King O’Rourke Cadillac) during our regular business hours, or by clicking on the link below. There is a charge of $75 for this permit. Download a block party permit application (PDF).

Road Opening Permits

Anytime anyone wants to dig anywhere in the town's right of way, a road opening permit is required.

This includes replacing your driveway apron. These are complicated items, subject to local, county, state and federal regulations. We require individuals to apply for these permits in person, so that the duties and responsibilities that accompany the issuance of these permits can be explained. Please come to our main office on Route 347 during normal business hours and someone will assist you with the application process. If you have any questions, please call us at (631) 360-7509 and we will be glad to help you.

Leaf Bag & Brush Pickups

The Highway Department has a continuous leaf bag (40 pounds max weight) and brush pick up program. Place bags and brush at the curb, not in the roadway, and they will be picked up on a bi-weekly basis.

Strict disposal requirements allow us to pick up plastic bags containing leaves and/or hedge clippings only! Branches should be cut to no longer than 6 feet in length and neatly piled at the roadside. Smaller branches should be tied and bundled. Please pile leaf bags and branches separately from each other. This will help us to be more efficient in picking up the items. Do not stack branches near fences, light poles, fire hydrants, under trees, or on top of drains.