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?
There are no problems with traffic in Albany, no current issues, no long-term concerns, nothing to keep track of, no topics worthy of an update.
Friday afternoon’s North Albany traffic tie-up was worse than most. The underlying cause was the same as always: Too many cars.
When the “Southern Pacific Railroad Overcrossing” in Albany was built in 1939, the state highway department provided it with proper ramps to get on and off. Many years later, ODOT made one of the ramps off limits. It’s still closed, and the question is why.
On bike rides around Albany I usually avoid Queen Avenue because of the rail crossing south of the Albany yard. On Thursday afternoon I did go that way and witnessed motorists practicing amazing patience while the crossing was blocked for what seemed like a very long time.
Getting stuck in traffic on the Ellsworth Street Bridge in Albany used to be confined mostly to the afternoon commute. On Tuesday it happened to dozens of motorists (including me) at noon.
Albany’s mini roundabout: Taking a look
Albany’s newest traffic roundabout — actually a “mini roundabout” —Â was finished and opened on Friday before Labor Day. After reading a slew of Facebook comments about this change in the traffic pattern, I paid it a visit Wednesday night.
Tags: crashes, intersection, mini roundabout, Salem Avenue, traffic