This is a screenshot from the bumpy-ride video that’s in the story below.
After years of talking about potholes and crumbling pavement, the Albany City Council next week will consider a concrete proposal to start fixing many of the streets in the worst shape.
Public Works Director Paul Trombino III, just a few months on the job, is on the council’s Wednesday agenda with a plan to start repaving streets by redirecting available funds. The plan also calls for charging the monthly street maintenance fee the council authorized last year.
The fee would start in July 2027. The monthly amount would range from $7.11 to $15.12 depending on home size. It would be 11.28 per month for what Trombino’s memo to the council calls a “standard single-family residence.”
The “standard” rate would rise to $15.28 per month by 2031. After that it would go up in line with construction costs.
But before the fee kicks in, the city would set aside $180,000 this year to expand an existing program of “inlay milling and paving,” a program that smooths the driving lanes of a few blocks of pavement each summer.
Then, next year, the city would “redirect existing flexible resources” of $2 million to immediately begin street repairs in the neighborhood east of Lyon Street. The money would come from franchise fees the city’s utilities collect.
The proposed street maintenance fee would yield about $6 million in 2027, the memo says, and more than $8 million a year by 2031.
In the memo, Trombino says: “In its first four years the plan visibly improves about 200 of the worst street segments — roughly 24 centerline miles (about 47 lane miles) across all three wards.” He says this would hold steady the share of Albany streets in very poor and failed state at 27-30 percent, rather than letting it grow.
These fixes would be for five to eight years rather than a permanent reconstruction, his memo says.
In 2028, the proposal envisions considering “additional transportation funding strategies” such as a local gas tax “to further address long-term pavement needs and diversify transportation funding sources.”
The council agenda includes a list of 200 Albany street segments that would get fixed under this plan. No. 54 on the list is Fifth Avenue from Madison to Lyon streets.
It was on that section of Fifth where, last month, I rode the bike for a few blocks:
The editorial comments on that video were recorded weeks ago. When I talked about redirecting some available funds, I had no idea that this would be part of the plan going to the council next week. (hh)
Go easy on senior citizens. Can anybody on the council think of senior citizens on a fixed income please?
Yes especially the ones that own manufactured homes. They not worth anything and the reason we live in because we can’t afford a stick house.
How about go easy on the budget and take the leftovers each year and use them the following year for street improvements!!
What leftovers? Government typically has a ‘use it or lose it” mentality.
First maybe instead of wasting money like on the stupid round about on old salem and waverly, which probably cost a arm and a leg, and a bunch of wasted money. Why dnt they repair the roads that need to be repaired?? .. how about use some of the revenue from the speed cameras that they are placing everywhere in albany to pay for our roads?? It seems our police force dnt need it as the cameras are doing their work so.. they dnt need any new budgeting.. use it for the roads that the police just drive down …
Keep the POLICE force out of this. How do you know what they use the money for and how do you know how many officers are actually on duty each day you don’t. The city needs to figure out how to use the money taxpayers pay more wisely. And they could care less about senior citizens.
A four-way stop would have worked just as welI IMO. I agree with the roundabout on Old Salem beinging an expensive waste. Most people have NO IDEA how to use this and cars from Albany speed up to the roundabout hoping with all they have that they don’t have to slow down for a car already in the roundabout wanting to make a left turn to Waverly, and also these cars wanting to turn should always be using their direction signal…but how many people really know what and how to use that????? .
There is no 4 way! It’s a T intersection that leads to Scot Lepman’s properties aka GLORIETTA BAY LLC.
The real question is WHY?
The need to post a traffic cop at both the roundabouts a couple days a week and warn or ticket people for not signaling before leaving the roundabout. I swear 98% of the people don’t do it. And I agree that one at Old Salem and Waverly is a joke. It’s so small you can barely get 1 blink when leaving that one.
They have alot of guts on fee’s…considering 22 million for 3 blocks of brick…next will be a bicycle tax for anyone over the age of 65….oh my..
Water under the bridge. I would imagine that most if not all of the councilmen when CARA was approved are no longer on the council. So it’s time to get over it Donald..
I get why nobody wants another monthly charge, as a property owner I dont want it it want it either, but ignoring the roads right now is the most expensive path we could take as taxpayers.
Civil engineering data shows that road decay isn’t linear—it’s exponential. I looked at decomposition on my street ( circa 1952 ) and this is an issue for eyeryone.
A road stays in decent shape for years, but once it hits a certain wear threshold, it drops off a cliff and completely fails almost overnight. Right now, the city’s plan uses a cheaper ‘inlay milling’ patch to keep our worst streets functional for another 5 to 8 years. Near me, they did a full overlay of the 14th to 16th street section in SE and it is impeccable! Up Shortridge SE and west of Shortridge SE, nothing has been done but the pavement looks good.
If we neglect these streets and let them cross that point of no return, simple repaving becomes physically impossible. We will be left with completely failed infrastructure that requires deep, full-depth structural excavation. That kind of total reconstruction costs up to 5 times more per block than preventative maintenance.
The long-term outcome of neglect isn’t just uglier streets; it’s a massive structural deficit. When the roads eventually crumble into dirt and craters, the city won’t be able to fix it with an $11 utility fee. They will be legally forced to come to us with a massive, multi-million dollar property tax bond measure that will hit our personal real estate taxes far harder. This fee is annoying, but it’s pure cost-avoidance to keep a bad problem from becoming a financial catastrophe.
It is safe to assume those still on the city council have not heard or caught wind of the definite affordability crisis caused by the Republican war with Iran and trump’s tariffs!!!!!
The affordability crisis was caused entirely by the 25% inflation during the Biden 4 years. As somebody who owns a company that imports product, I doubt Walmart price increases from tariffs exceeded 2%. If you increased the price of wheat 20%, it wouldn’t change the purchase price of post toasties 3%. And the yearly inflation rate during the Iran war is less than 3% while wages have increased by more than that during this time period. You seem to be suffering from TDS so perhaps you should find a therapist like Rosie O’Donnell did.
New Jobs Created – Lowest Average Job Growth in Years
Manufacturing Jobs- Down
Oil/Gas Prices – Up
Senators Disappearing – Up
Government Slush Funds – Way Up
American’s Personal Debt – Way Up
American’s Credit Card Debt – Way Up
National Debt – Exploded!
Wars Initiated – Up
Communist Fear Mongering Ploys – Way Up
Cost of Basic Goods – Way Up
Cost of Eggs – Down (Nice work! – Gotta give credit where credit is due)
Home Ownership – Way Down
401K Hardship Withdrawals – 2025 was a record year/2026 is outpacing that
Pardons for Hardened Criminals – Up
Unemployment Rate – Up
GDP – Down
Farm Bankruptcies – Way Up
Farmer Suicides – Way Up
TSA/FEMA Credibility – Way Down
Trump Family Crypto Scams – Immeasurable
Housing Starts – Down
Deportations – Flat
Healthcare Costs – Way Up
MAGA Excuses – Way UP
Illegal Tariffs – Way Up
Fake Monuments Named for a Fake President – Way Up
American’s Image on the World Stage – Do we even need to go there.
I visit this blog on occasion. It seems every time I do, Al Nyman is insulting someone.
Sad.
Yes, you are right! Nyman is constantly insulting people!
I’m paying triple the amount for healthcare this year versus 2025. I don’t need more fees added onto the water and sewer bill.
Donald Trump in 2024: “Starting on Day One of my new administration, we will end inflation, and we will make America affordable again.”
Donald Trump in 2026: “They used the word—first time I heard it. It was a word, you know, made up by the Democrats: affordability… The word ‘affordability’ is a con job by the Democrats.”
Or the 20% or more inflation caused by Biden.
Where is the money already being collected for street repairs going? Pink bricks? How about some accountability for where the resources have been going over the years? Secondly, will all households in Albany be charged the new fee, (ie. all the new apartments being built) or is this a tax for home owners only? Thirdly, won’t a “fee” plus a “ tax” be hammering us twice for the same problem? This game of “jam the public” is getting very old.
Rental property owners have to pay property taxes which are reflected in the cost of apartment rentals, so yes, everyone is paying.
The proposed fee and tax are IN ADDITION TO property taxes as I understand Hasso! Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m sure many neighborhoods have the same nasty roads as ours. I walk my two Border Collies in the Lakewood Dr SW and Liberty and Fir Oaks and the surrounding roads inside this area and honestly I would never consider buying any home with roads such as these home owners reside. It’s a travesty. What’s to be done? Our city managers and council hands out raises. They blame our property tax reform from years ago yet my property taxes rise considerably each year. I’m newly retired my self. I can’t afford to live in this stat any more. Figure it out, leadership.
Gosh 16th ave SW is terrible. I am sure I will need an alignment from all the potholes and rough driving this road daily. I think we have the worse street possible. Please consider this street as a top priority!
Add an additional gas tax to pay for the upkeep of the city streets. Those who drive the most and have the most vehicles will be taxed the highest. Those who drive the least or don’t drive at all will be taxed the least. Electric vehicle drivers will be sparred for not adding additional CO2 to the atmosphere. Something we all need to be more conscientious and actionable about whether we like it or not. Simple and as fair as possible.
There are many streets in Albany that need to be repaired and it’s time we did it. Yes it will be expensive, but it’s not going to get any cheaper in the future. Although the streets in my area are quite good I’m very willing to help pay to repair the other streets.. It would seem to me that either a gas tax or a monthly utility fee would work well. I personally favor the gas tax because then sone of the money is collected from people who live outside the city who are using our streets. If you have ever purchased gas in Eugene or Springfield, you have helped to repair their streets.
Preaching to the wind:
All ot the info is here:
https://albanyoregon.gov/streets
To effect any change – you need to get 4 votes on Council. Better yet, maybe some of you “experts” might try running for Council. Only takes $5 to get your name on the upcoming ballot.
Careful, Ray. Don’t try to educate with factual harsh realities or suggest they sit in the hot seat and make tough decisions. That takes too much effort. It’s easier to just whine and spout rumors and falsehoods on here.
This is the result of 30+ years of neglect by the various mayors/council members.
Always easy to bitch about an issue… Other than that, what are you doing, to solve the problem? Your solution is?
Said by one who’s idiotic real estate transactions have cost the City residents $MILLIONS! One who ignored the condition of our streets, hoping they lasted longer than your tenure so they would be someone else’s problem.
Cumberland church, Wells Fargo bank and it goes on.
What’s YOUR EXCUSE?
Nice attempt at deflection Bill. Try answering the question. I stand by what I said. (However, I *DO* give you credence for using your real name…)
Funny how you can deflect first and then accuse others of exactly what you do. Explain your real estate logic!
Agreed! Lead, follow, or get out of the way!
While they’re at it they need to make the right lane on 1st Street at Lions street a right turn option so cars can turn onto to the bridge to North Albany. The far right turn only lane is backed up all the way to Par Lumber most days at rush hour. There’s no reason if lines were painted that people couldn’t also turn from the right lane into the Lions Street left lane going up the bridge doubling the capacity.
Hey Mr. Ray and Calhoun If I ran my business the way that the city managers run the city I would not have a business anymore. Long term residents have long paid for the city to fix the needed repairs. They are paying for the new construction and new residents that are moving here. Working people “pay” the city to do its job so we can earn a living, keep paying our taxes and utilities. Trying to pass the buck doesn’t fly with my customers if I didn’t do my job and tried to ask for more money their response wouldn’t be so polite as it is here on this blog.
Other than whining and complaining anonymously, what are you DOing about it? (By the way, how’s that anonymous caterwauling doing for you anyway?)
This is why you don’t belong on any city council. I hope you weren’t planning on trying to sneak back on ours.
Hmm… Interesting idea. For $5 bucks, I could run again. HUGE investment. Try it sometime.
You aren’t qualified to be on our council. Save your $5.
What? The speed cameras aren’t bringing in enough revenue? Maybe the City needs to install more.
Ray, your “caterwauling” makes no sense. You have everything you need. We help people that are in need and deemed useless by their poverty. Your lack of empathy is shameful. If you think my responses are so offensive, you are indeed a delicate flower.
It is obvious that you have never experienced the rage of an entitled person and/or you find their anger justified due to their self-importance.
And yet, for some undisclosed reason(s), you’re seemingly unwilling to get more directly involved effect change… Why is that?
I agree with some of these arguments but disagree with others. I don’t think taxing or whatever word you want to use is right. I think any new house, apartment or business building/s should have to pay a flat fee per sqft.
Business no longer get any tax breaks to build/or open in Albany. I don’t condone speeding or running red lights. But I am not saying that our emergency services don’t do their job. I would like the city get to the point where they are not dependent on the money from these cameras or eliminate them completely. I know that when there’s a emergency we want quick responses I live on a road that is used quite often by these vehicles and it really sounds like they are red lining and sounds like engine is going to blow up on these vehicles. While driving these vehicles are hard on the engine,transmission. If they couldn’t stop in time that could be someone’s life and destroy these vehicles. I know this is a little of subject but how much is maintenance on emergency?