If you could use a short diversion from all the disheartening news about national politics, how about this? Consider that sign on an Albany traffic signal mast and ask yourself: Is that the best way to get the message across?
Ever heard of a “doghouse-style” traffic signal? It signals when you can make a left turn, and at Queen and Geary and three other Albany intersections, it’s going to be replaced by a different kind.
This was the question that arrived via email from an Albany reader: “What is going on with the traffic lights that are supposed to be put in at 34th Avenue and Marion and 34th Avenue and Hill?” As luck would have it, the Answer Man is in.
This is a small thing, really. But it still bugs me. I’m talking about those traffic light sensors in bike lanes that don’t do anything. Those wire loops in the pavement are supposed to activate the traffic signals for cyclists when no cars are present. Maybe they do this some of the time, but in my experience they […]
Next time the Albany Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission is looking for some project, it might want to consider the fact that many modern traffic signals ignore people on bikes. Some communities have solved the problem with gizmos like the one in the photo, a bike-crossing button similar to those routinely provided for people on foot.
A new intersection feature: Thermal detectors
Following up on the new signal installations on two Albany highways, here’s a revelation: Yes, ODOT did put in new cameras, but they look not for vehicles but for people on foot.
Tags: Albany highways, ODOT, Pacific Boulevard, Santiam Highway, Teledyne FLIR, thermal detectors, traffic signals