Huntington Station residents oppose proposed McDonald’s at busy intersection

Residents packed Huntington Town Hall and forced the Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals to clear its agenda for a proposed McDonald’s at the northeast corner of East Pulaski Road and Park Avenue in Greenlawn, turning a fast-food application into a fight over traffic, pedestrian safety and neighborhood character. The site is a long-vacant former Citibank bank building in the Town of Huntington.

McDonald’s USA LLC wants to redevelop the property with a dual-lane drive-thru and a right-turn-only entrance and exit. Opponents said that traffic pattern would add to congestion at an already busy intersection and could create problems for emergency vehicles trying to move through the corridor. Neighbors framed the proposal as more than a single restaurant, arguing that the project would change how the intersection works for drivers, walkers and nearby residents.

The June 4 hearing lasted nearly two hours, with attorneys, engineers and traffic consultants presenting for the applicant. Residents frequently reacted from the audience as the board heard the case, and some supporters also gathered outside the meeting to back the project. The zoning board did not reach a decision that night.

The applicant said it would review requests for more localized traffic data, a sign that the fight is far from over. The hearing added to a broader pattern in Greenlawn, where another proposed McDonald’s has already drawn strong resident opposition over traffic and site design. For now, the debate over East Pulaski Road and Park Avenue stands as a test of how the Town of Huntington will balance redevelopment against the pressure a new drive-thru could place on an already congested stretch of road.