One of the temporary obstacles to bike traffic during the current construction on Salem Avenue. (July 23, 2025)
As you may have noticed when traveling on Albany’s Salem Avenue this month, contract crews have been working to get the street ready for repaving and construction of a “mini-roundabout.”
On a bike ride Wednesday evening, I was glad I noticed the yellow caution tape where the westbound bike lane ends in deep excavations for what looked like storm drain manholes. It pays to look where you’re pedaling.
K&E Excavating, of Salem, has the $2.3 million contract to work on Salem Avenue. The company also has current city construction contracts for the Albany Waterfront Project and the Cox Creek Interceptor sewer main.
City engineers summarized the Salem Avenue work:
“This project includes approximately 4,800 linear feet of asphalt pavement rehabilitation on Salem Avenue between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the Albany-Millersburg city limits, including construction of a mini-roundabout; new curb ramps and sidewalk repairs; three crosswalks with rectangular rapid flashing beacons; and related appurtenances.”
The small roundabout will be built on Salem Avenue at Waverly Drive. This is now a T-junction. According to the construction drawings, the new roundabout will create a regular four-way intersection and provide a street stub to undeveloped property north of Salem Avenue. The land is owned by Albany developer Scott Lepman.
The traffic circle should make it easier for drivers on Waverly to make a left on Salem Avenue during periods of heavy traffic.
For people on bicycles, though, the traffic circle increases the level of risk because, as shown on the drawings, the bike lane disappears and the roadway is narrowed. The speed limit on Salem is 35 mph.
During part of August, Salem Avenue is to be closed to through traffic for paving and related work. The contract calls for the project to be completed by Aug. 29. (hh)
Because another roundabout is what Albany needs. smh
I love roundabouts! Keeps the traffic moving instead of stop-and-go (mostly stop). Learn the rules and you’ll love them, too!
Good. Round-abouts are good. There are less accidents at roundabouts than at the type of high-speed intersections we mostly have in the U.S. Round-abouts are much cheaper to construct than 4-way stops. Bicycle riders seem to manage ok in England where there are many round-abouts.
I’m wondering about where my City Gov is “rounding-abouting”. Are their feet really on the ground??? FRR must live in a Biden educed lay lay land….
Fewer milligrams on your edibles Jimmy! Really! “City gov” and Biden deuces. What? Really.
Hahahaha! Yesssss
I am confused. Did you mean “Biden induced la la land”? If so, then I dare say that makes you a prime example of the Trump education model…
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out and out
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound
And in and out the valley
I had a hunch this was an uncredited something-or-other. Google “roundabout lyrics”
The amount of foot traffic from people families walking dogs kids bikes to the park is now at risk due to a roundabout at this intersection not to mention the semis and trailers tht pass through on a daily basis. The article even states it will cause a high risk, and a narrow road. Albany is known for idiotic roads…this adds to the list. Nice that no one on the street who live here were even given a courtesy notice.
“According to the construction drawings, the new roundabout will create a regular four-way intersection and provide a street stub to undeveloped property north of Salem Avenue. The land is owned by Albany developer Scott Lepman.”
Why do we have to keep supporting Scott Lepman? Seriously! Let him pay for his own stuff.
“If more developers had the wherewithal to follow the same processes as Scott, they too might be as successful as Scott and Albany would be that much better….
Pretty sweet deal for his property value when they pave his street with very expensive bricks at our expense. Bury power lines on his street at our expense. It goes on obviously with this round a bout.
Now he MIGHT buy a property for $300k that YOU and YOUR cohorts spent $1.8mil on.