A moment at the intersection of Geary Street and Salem Avenue on Saturday afternoon, March 22, 2025.
On Saturday I leaned the bike against the stop-sign post at the northwest corner of Geary Street and Salem Avenue in Albany. Why would I do that?
Because I wanted to get a photo of the intersection that was the scene of the most automobile collisions in Albany in 2024.
The information about collisions comes from the annual crime report for 2024 published on the website of the Albany Police Department.
The report’s section on traffic lists the top four locations for collisions in 2024. Salem/Geary led the list with 16 for the year.
The Lyon Street Bridge was second with 12 crashes. This was followed by Ninth Avenue and Hill Street with 11. In fourth place there was the intersection of 14th Avenue and Waverly Drive with 10.
The Geary and Salem intersection has been a danger spot for years. It was one of the leading crash sites in Albany in 2018, and I wrote a story about it in 2019.
Then, in 2020 and ’21, neighborhood residents opposed to the city’s approval of 120 apartments at The Banks, six blocks away at the north end of Geary, cited traffic at the intersection as a major concern.
The intersection has no traffic signals, and in ordinary weekday traffic, getting across Salem there takes some luck. On the bike, I don’t even try. (hh)
The story has been edited to fix which corner the photo was taken from: the northwest, not the southwest corner.
So….this begs an obvious question –
If city government defines “safety” as reducing the number of crashes, and there are NO speed/red light cameras installed at the top four “unsafe” intersections, why is the city “investing” in cameras at two relatively “safe” intersections (Queen & Geary, North Albany Road & West Thornton Lake Drive)?
The obvious answer is – “Safety” is not the primary motivation for installing traffic cameras. Money is.
And the big question remains – How should city government properly enforce legitimate traffic laws without simultaneously exploiting its power to abuse people?
City government clearly hasn’t answered that question.
Exactly!
Notice that NONE of the city’s apologists or bureaucrats (current or ex) has offered a rebuttal. (Ex: Ray K, Bob, Sharon, etc.)
The argument is factual and common sense, but I think we’re onto something in regards to governing bias and ideology…
Huge yawn here. Your (and others) rabbit-holes are deep & dark…
Once again, Ray is sleeping and refuses to offer an effective rebuttal argument that uses logic, evidence, and clear reasoning to demonstrate its strength.
Laziness, incompetence, or arrogance? Pick one.
Just retire and go away already. You’re irritating.
Who you referring to?
Useless comment on your end. Brainless. Maybe try golf, since you are a hack.
Gordon is a much appreciated commenter. Stop demeaning those who have long memories of how Albany functions
For seven years, I passed through that intersection during my commute between Corvallis and Millersburg. Saw a few accidents and came close to having my own a few times as desperate drivers, tired of waiting for an opening, try to get across Salem during the almost steady stream of traffic. Add the occasional train crossing and the resultant backup of cars on Geary and you have a real mess.
So much for using “safety” as an excuse for the traffic cameras. Be honest, they’re not for safety, they’re for cash generation.
Perhaps a special fee in our water bill for potholes AND dangerous intersections?
Maybe if the police department had more than one officer assigned to “TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT” it be a deterrent. That one officer for about a 50,000 population is ludicrous. What do the officers assigned to “PATROL” do?
The city ignores the dangerous traffic around the shelter too. Vehicles going under the overpass and those trying to merge onto the overpass on 9th avoid near misses all day long. You never know what is around the curve under the over pass, People walking in the street , a stopped vehicles or both. In front of the shelter people just walk out in front of vehicles and stop traffic while parking or pulling out to leave. I am always impressed that people are such good drivers and react as fast as they do. At night it is even worse because the people that walk out in front of you wear mostly dark clothes or vehicles stop there just at the curve and you don’t see the lights that well until you are right on top of them. I have a tight work schedule and going other routes would cause me to be late. The city has become an obstacle course to drive through between the potholes, in your face pedestrian traffic and the other people trying to survive the increased hectic traffic conditions too. Every time I avoid an accident I wouldn’t be surprised if the police would give me a ticket for almost hitting someone that walked or pulled out in front of me. It is useless giving people without any money a ticket so I would be the one responsible. All these traffic lights are in places where people drive to go to and from work. What better way to catch people who can pay and are trying to get to work on time. They press their luck to escape the heavy traffic caused by an increased population the city is not able to accommodate.