have you heard of "dummy lights" ? Pedestal-mounted traffic signals in the center of intersections that replaced the cops that had been directing traffic when there were very few vehicles and a lot more horse wagons. There are less than a handful existing in the USA

On November 11th, 2021, a Western Express tractor-trailer crashed into the historic Canajoharie Dummy Light, because instead of driving straight through the intersection and making a turn at the next block....  the trucker made the idiot error of smashing into the traffic light 

before the dummy light

This was a watering trough for horses, with a plaque installed by the daughters of the revolution, commemorating a revolutionary war fort

the dummy light in Canajoharie, new York above, is just South of the Erie Canal, it is the headquarters of the Beech Nut Baby Food Company and stone for the Brooklyn Bridge was quarried there.

example of when police stood in the intersection and operated the signal switches 

There are still at least three dummy lights surviving in New York State. Besides Croton-on-Hudson there are operating dummy lights in Beacon and upstate in Canajoharie.

and besides the 3 in New York state, there is one in Smackover Arkansas 

The first traffic signal was installed in 1868 in London, in the middle of an intersection to direct horse carriages  https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-traffic-signal-originated-in-london.html

I had forgotten this one that I posted 2 years ago  https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2023/03/wow-thats-sturdy-traffic-light-of.html

and stop signs in Portland were once speedbumps 

In Philly in 1922 https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2018/02/1922-philly.html 

There are few interesting and unusual traffic lights in the USA, and this is the 1st time I've heard of these Dummy Lights by that name.  But the one traffic light that sticks out in my memory, is the one that is green on top  https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-legend-of-traffic-light-at.html

https://www.eldiario24.com/en/americas-mysterious-traffic-signal/24938/

https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheDummyLight/

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=9837481819621447&set=gm.10002553983136035&idorvanity=751191438272382

https://www.facebook.com/groups/751191438272382

https://www.crotonfriendsofhistory.org/dummy-forever