On the Ellsworth Street Bridge, Thursday afternoon, Dec. 11, 2025.
Traffic into downtown Albany across the Ellsworth Street Bridge may flow a little easier a few years from now because of planned changes that ODOT has tentatively approved.
A study commissioned by the City of Albany in 2023 suggested several changes in the Highway 20 corridor downtown. Three of these changes now have been approved for funding by the Oregon Department of Transportation, City Manager Peter Troedsson announced.
In his weekly report to the city council on Dec. 5, Troedsson said ODOT included the projects in its “All Roads Transportation System” (ARTS) program.
The projects are:
— Making a dedicated left-turn lane on Ellsworth to Second Avenue, costing an estimated $250,000. This will remove “some parking” on the left side of Ellsworth between First and Second avenues.
— Creating two right-turn lanes on First to the Lyon Street Bridge, with an estimated cost of $500,000. This will also change the bike lane and add a bike signal.
— Installing flashing beacons at pedestrian crossings on Ellsworth and Lyon Streets between Fifth and Eighth avenues, along with curb bulbouuts where possible. Estimated cost $150,000.
“A total of $900,000 in funding for these three projects will be included in the 2027–2030 State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) and the projects will be delivered by ODOT, so we don’t have a near term schedule,” Troedsson wrote in his Dec. 5 report. “This grant funding opportunity would not have been possible without Council’s decision to invest SDC funds in completing the Highway 20 Corridor Plan. It’s a strong return on that investment.”
The council had authorized spending $200,000 from “systems development charges” or SDCs on the Highway 20 downtown corridor study.
The added turn lanes had been talked about for years as likely traffic solutions for downtown congestion during peak hours. But spending the money on a study was necessary in order to convince ODOT to allow the changes to be made, and to foot the bill.
It’s not clear to me why ODOT thinks creating a left turn lane on Ellsworth should cost a quarter-million dollars. Isn’t it just a matter of paint? (hh)
look at the cost, then tell these union, government employees, and their boss, to get lost!
On my way to First Street Friday at about 4:30 p.m. via the Roundabout on Main, I was traveling at the speed limit. Someone behind me honked at me; he or she was mad because I wasn’t speeding!! After I got on First Street and stayed in the left lane (I was headed to Post Office), I realized the right lane was backed up for blocks and blocks waiting to cross Lyon Street bridge, since the clock was nearing the 5 p.m. hour. I also saw the vehicle that honked at me switch in and out of left and right lane a couple of times trying to get closer to Lyon Street bridge. So, yes, having two right lanes to feed traffic across Lyon Street bridge is needed.
Good information sounds good Thanks Hasso
Those solutions sound very short term. As the mid-Valley continues to grow the traffic over the bridges will only increase. The old steel bridge should be rebuilt, like in Corvallis (same era bridge) and widened to three lanes. Lyon and Ellsworth could bar parking and increase the roadway to three lanes in both directions. The case for a parking ramp downtown continues to grow. There is vacant space on First between Ellsworth and Broadalbin
The turn lane on ellsworth might include traffic light upgrades as well.
Apparently the Governors claim that ODOT “doesn’t have any money” makes no difference in “PLANNING”. I’m not going to hold my breath on this, it’s just more ————–
Concerned over parking downtown with multiple parking spaces at risk already in the next few years. Would love to see city engagement on short and long term parking solutions for continued downtown vitality where businesses and residents can thrive.
They need to retime all of the lights at peak hours to stay green for longer to keep hwy 20 traffic moving so it doesn’t bottle up going across the bridge.
That would be common sense… but they hire people to tell them otherwise… that would be my first thought also… give that a try first…if lights stay green for 30 to 60 seconds…. allow them to stay green for 2 minutes…. you have 3 lights backing things up looking at this pic. You would thing that they would try this before spending thousands of dollars…. but then again… our City Council members are not the brightest…. LOL..
The only real solution is a bridge north of Albany to access I-5 and it’s been studied.
Instead of turn lanes I think it would make more sense to make it a dead end on SW 9th (the block that has St. Mary’s on one side and the School Field on the other). Make it a parking area for the school/church. Take out the lights there so it alleviates one less light. 2 lanes will still go to turning left and the one lane will still go to the stop sign on Pacific. As for the little off ramp off Pacific, either do away with it, or put a yield sign (if they do away with the lights_. Just makes more sense then putting a bunch of turning lanes in… LOL
The left turn lane from Ellsworth to 2nd St. may require redesign and engineering of the crosswalks. One of the biggest issues is cars waiting to turn left while pedestrians are in the cross-walk. I’m not sure adding a 3rd lane fixes that.
This is a typical bad use of money.
A dedicated left turn will not have much effect, because the will just back up on 2nd street, and once that happens, they will back up in the dedicated left turn lane, which will back up over the bridge.
People crossing the street at 2nd street, that walk as slow as they can, backs up a lot of traffic, even in a dedicated turn lane.
There are just too many people moving to this area and the planning department does not do ANY long term planning.
“…the planning department does not do ANY planning.”
Really? Start here:
https://albanyoregon.gov/planning/codes-and-plans
I’ve been watching The Sopranos, Hasso. I can tell you why a left hand turn lane costs $250,000. LOL!
I suspect there will be some relief when the two lane bridge leaving downtown Corvallis onto hwy 34 opens to traffic next year.
Left turn lane on Ellsworth for $250,000? I’ll buy some paint and do it for half that…LOL ODOT is out of control, or should I say OUT OF MONEY! Trying to stick it to the smaller towns to get their fraud and waste back.
I wish I had an extra $30,000 so I could buy a car and complain about traffic
Most of the traffic problem on Ellsworth is generated in the traffic light by St Mary’s.
Removing the traffic light and adding a merging lane on Pacific is a solution.