Workers were building Albany’s latest roundabout on Salem Avenue on the evening of Aug. 7, when I last rode my bike past the location.
As you may have read here before, Albany is about to get another traffic roundabout. Judging by how befuddled a few drivers still seem to be by these features on our streets, it might be worth another look at how to use them.
ODOT has just opened a big roundabout on Highway 99W at Clow Corner Road, north of Monmouth. This is a major highway, and the state’s announcement of the opening includes a reminder of what drivers need to know. More about that below.
In Albany, the first roundabout was built in 2005 on North Albany Road at Gibson Hill. It’s been there for 20 years, but traffic still comes to a stop now and then when a driver is unsure what to do.
Since then, we’ve added another traffic circle on Knox Butte Road at Timber Ridge Street and two small ones, with only local traffic, in the Benton Woods neighborhood in North Albany. Plus the one on Main near Third (which I forgot until a commenter below reminded me).
But more are probably coming with additional development along Ellingson Road in south Albany and east of the freeway, where there’s talk of building something called the East Albany Town Center.
So here’s what ODOT felt it useful to say when its $11.4 million roundabout opened in Polk County:
“It’s been a while since most of us have read the Oregon Driver Manual. Here’s a quick refresher on how you drive through a roundabout:
“Approach: Slow down as you approach the roundabout. Look for signs to determine where your exit is located. Watch for people riding bicycles; they will either merge into traffic or use the sidewalk. When approaching the crosswalk, stop for pedestrians using the crosswalk in your lane.
“Enter:Â Before you enter the roundabout, you must yield to traffic inside as well as exiting the roundabout. Wait for a gap and merge into traffic. Be prepared to stop if necessary.
“Proceed: Once inside the roundabout, move around the circle until you reach your exit. Allow people riding bicycles that have merged into traffic the full travel lane. Do not pass a person riding a bicycle within the roundabout.
“Exit: Indicate your plan to exit using your right turn signal. Watch for pedestrians in the crosswalk and be prepared to stop.”
Being on a major state highway with a huge volume of traffic, the Clow Corner Road roundabout is far bigger than any of the traffic circles Albany has or is likely to get.
Especially the one being built as part of the $2.3 million Salem Avenue rehabilitation project seems kind of tight, more of a wide spot in the road than a true roundabout.
Still, let’s hope drivers using Salem Avenue are familiar with the rules of roundabouts when that project is finished in a few weeks. (hh)
Gibson Hill travelers by and large do not signal their exit, especially those that come down Gibson Hill to continue down North Albany. By not signaling, uphill traffic may assume they plan to continue in the roundabout, causing uphill traffic to slow down waiting for clear sign they are going downhill.
You are so right. Traffic would flow much more smoothly if people would signal when exiting. Seems like most people don’t bother to signal because they are heading downhill on N. Albany Road from Gibson Hill and they are only in the roundabout a couple of seconds. But that is what is so confusing to other drivers.
You didn’t mention the roundabout on Main Street in Albany. Is the new one on Highway 99W going to have 2 lanes? That seems kind of scary, as you have to be in outer lane to exit. So, you’ve got lane switching within a roundabout?
I would think you would stop your car for a pedestrian in either lane. (I have never seen a pedestrian using a roundabout in Albany.) I notice on the roundabouts I am the only one using my blinker when I exit.
I haven’t driven in Britain, but in England I have been in the front passenger seat next to the driver. We almost had a collision with a lorry (small furniture-type truck), and, if I remember correctly, it was because of lane switching.
Thanks for pointing out that I forgot the circle on Main.
I don’t use that one anymore, but IIRC, it wasn’t real apparent to drivers that they had to allow cyclists “their place” without following 3 feet behind them honking. No Green Paint or Sharrows or other magic elixirs. Since I typically turned from heading N. on Main to Salem, I just used the sidewalk and didn’t have to deal with fools.
Thanks for the reminder of proper etiquette when using a roundabout.
I frequently drive/walk the Knox Butte Road at Timber Street roundabout. A few of my observations:
1.) The Knox Butte roundabout has three very large evergreen trees planted in the center of the circle, along with some very large boulders around the periphery. The evergreens and boulder are attractive visual features and, excuse the pun, spruce up the intersection. But they cut down on sight lines and makes it difficult for drivers entering the roundabout to see vehicles entering from the opposite direction and also see pedestrians attempting to cross at the designated crosswalks.
2.) Signs indicating the State Law that vehicles are to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks seem to be ignored half the time. Some drivers are courteous, i.e. they obey the law, and do stop, but likely they are hoping that the driver following closely behind them at speed don’t plow into their rear end. Other drivers blithely ignore the signs and blast thru the crosswalk only feet from a pedestrian waiting to cross.
3.) This portion of Knox Butte seems a race track. Some drivers delight in seeing how fast they can maneuver around the roundabout without reducing speed . Speeding is common in this stretch of Knox Butte as there are no stop signs on Knox Butte from the Fairgrounds traffic signal to the four way stop at Scravel Hill. So the rule seems to be, “pedal to the metal” on this stretch of Knox Butte road.
Thanks for the refresher Hasso. We live out in south Albany and have been following the developments out on Ellingson Road. MANY new houses there and on Lochner Road. There is a traffic light on the west end of Ellingson on Highway 99E. I have been wondering what would be done on the east end at Columbus to handle the increased traffic. I suppose a roundabout would work.
In North Albany I find the roundabout dangerous. I come close to being T-boned at least once per week (usually more), even when I’m in the circle! People coming down the hill from Gibson Hill or N. Albany Road seem to think they own the road and don’t watch for cars entering the roundabout before they reach the roundabout. I’d rather have a stop light. With the increased housing being built in our area, it’s more congested and people tend to be more rude. And yes, I use my blinker!
Yes, well put. People who live in North Albany (not all of them, mind you) are rude and think they are entitled and are the elite of Albany. So, that often spills out of them as rudeness.
Thank you, Hasso for another great article.
I hope everyone reads it.
Especially the part where you quote the Oregon drivers manual!
I very rarely see anyone using blinkers besides myself. It’s a little tricky at first, signaling your intentions.The hard part (for me) in North Albany is entering the circle from all the drivers that feel that they have the right way coming up the hill MUCH faster than 15 miles an hour.
The same is VERY true for the downhill traffic.
In reality our roundabouts are too small to be able to signal your exit soon enough to do any good. The two people that cause problems are the ones that blow through them at high rate of speed and the people that stop before entering for no apparent reason.
Roundabouts are great and do as intended, keep traffic moving.
Two comments I have. There is barely enough distance between exits to even get one blink from a blinker.
I think roundabouts could be made much safer if the crosswalks were not so close to the circle. I think drivers attention is too focused on getting a break in traffic.
There is plenty of time for Gibson Hill travelers in indicate, with a blinker, that they intend to go down N. Albany. No easy solution for those folks from N. Albany planning to go straight through at 25-30 miles per hour as they treat the roundabout as a straight shot.
Y’all are overthinking this. The only thing you need to see is your left as your first thought. The second is to your as you are into the roundabout. The smaller the roundabout the quicker these actions need to processed in the brain. What’s going on across the roundabout opposite is not your worrying.
I was skeptical about roundabouts until I stayed in Bend for one vacation a year or so ago and experienced them firsthand. We spent a lot of time in the parks along the river. The traffic just flows. You can drive for miles through town without having to stop at a traffic light, it is amazing.