The diagonal lane marking on Ellsworth at Ninth, shown on Jan. 21, 2026.
Following up on the lane markings on Ellsworth Street and Ninth Avenue in Albany: Yes, the Oregon Department of Transportation may be interested in making improvements, but not just now.
As I told the story on Jan. 22, Andrew Monaco of the Albany Public Works Department planned to contact ODOT about the markings to see if anything could be done to improve traffic safety there.
On Tuesday Monaco sent me an email:
“I heard back from ODOT, and their regional traffic engineers reviewed the site and determined that supplemental signage or pavement markings could improve the area. However, current funding levels prevent them from implementing these changes at this time. They will re-evaluate the improvements if additional funding becomes available.”
Brad Dennis of the North Albany Neighborhood Association (NANA) raised the lane issue when he spoke to the city’s Transportation Advisory Commission last November. The issue is that motorists now and then ignore a diagonal line painted on Ellsworth to create two left-turn lanes at the Ninth Avenue signal.
The line allows drivers in the right lane on Ellsworth to get into position for a left-hand turn on Ninth, but only if drivers in the left lane obey the line and give them space.
Dennis told me he had two close calls and another NANA member was also nearly hit here. “We were both driving south on Ellsworth, in the right-hand lane, but preparing to turn left on Ninth. The person in the left lane did not stay in their lane as it angled to the left. They went straight, crossing into the adjacent lane, nearly colliding with us.”
If nothing else, it seems to me, the diagonal line could be repainted so it looks like an official ODOT pavement marking, properly curved. As it is, it looks like a line hastily drawn by an amateur with a pot of paint. (hh)
The real problem is the merge on the on ramp. Left lane needs to allow the right lane vehicle space to merge. Who has the right of way–left lane or right lane? Yellow merge left traffic sign still there?
In going up that on-ramp just about every day over the last 48 years, never had a problem merging.
Google Street View shows two yellow signs on both sides of the on ramp indicating that the left lane is the primary lane (right lane merges left).
I use the right lane almost daily to turn left and then zipper merge onto the on ramp. The left lane is almost always more congested. I don’t know why people insist that left lane is the primary lane when it’s not. I don’t know if that even makes sense I’m super sick right now lol it is something that is annoying but it’s not something that ODOT needs to come and take care of in my eyes. Maybe APD could do some type of traffic enforcement . I’d like to know is it legal to turn left on the red ? I do it because I believe it is but my fiance argues with me that it’s not
Suggestion to those with a question on traffic laws is to either go on line and make an inquiry about ORS that covers lane use or stop by DMV and pickup a drivers manual for review. Several years ago I saw a number of vehicles turning left onto Ellsworth from 3rd on a red light which I thought was improper. I picked up a Drivers License Manual and found that I was mistaken. I try to pickup a manual every couple of years because the legislature, in all it’s wisdom makes periodic changes that we, the public, never hear about.
Don’t expect any enforcement from APD. They only have one officer assigned to traffic enforcement.
hh; I recall a female odot employee quoted in the newspaper at the time the diagonal was installed–the solid line was only “optional”. We laughed at reading that back then.
ORS 811.360
Vehicle turns permitted at stop light
proceeding against traffic control device
improperly proceeding at stop light
penalty
Text
(1)The driver of a vehicle, subject to this section, who is intending to turn at an intersection where there is a traffic control device showing a steady circular red signal, a steady red bicycle signal or a steady red arrow signal may do any of the following without violating ORS 811.260 (Appropriate driver responses to traffic control devices) and 811.265 (Driver failure to obey traffic control device):
(a)Make a right turn into a two-way street.
(b)Make a right or left turn into a one-way street in the direction of traffic upon the one-way street.
(2)In addition to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a bicyclist or motorcyclist does not violate ORS 811.260 (Appropriate driver responses to traffic control devices) and 811.265 (Driver failure to obey traffic control device) if:
(a)The bicyclist or motorcyclist approaches an intersection where there is a traffic control device showing a steady circular red signal, a steady red bicycle signal or a steady red arrow signal;
The easiest solution to the problem is to return it to 2 lanes with the right lane being able to turn left or go staight.