The mini-roundabout on Salem Avenue and Waverly Drive on Wednesday afternoon, May 20, 2026.
The mini-roundabout on Salem Avenue at Waverly Drive was opened over Labor Day weekend last year. Eight months later, it is still giving some people fits, or so it seems.
On May 16, someone went on Facebook and wrote: “Well, I like roundabouts but this one here is crazy dangerous. Has no purpose at all. There needs to be some kind of standard for minimum diameter. This is too small and dangerous.”
The comment got 293 “thumbs up” the last time I saw it, and 188 comments.
I have driven through the intersection from time to time, and I often ride my bike through it. On Wednesday I stopped to observe for a couple of minutes:
I didn’t see any near collisions or other problems.
As you may have seen in the video, one guy drove his truck over the edge of the center island as he made a left from Waverly. So what? The center is designed and built to be driven across when necessary.
Dangerous? So how many crashes have there been? I don’t know, yet.
The police department’s monthly crash reports have been posted only through February, and January is missing completely. Unfortunately, even the reports that are published no longer clearly identify where collisions occurred. The maps are too small to tell you much.
I’ve emailed the department for crash information at this intersection. When I get it, I’ll include it here.
In the meantime, let’s just say that this small roundabout has made it easier to make a left turn on Salem Avenue from Waverly. And from what I have seen, as long as drivers pay attention to the signs and the rules of the road, this little roundabout works pretty well. (hh)
Postscript: Police Chief Marcia Harnden reports today (May 27, 2026) there have been no traffic collisions at Waverly and Salem since at least Jan. 1, 2025.Â
That little roundabout is doing exactly as intended. Note the number of responses both good and bad. It definitely has gotten people’s attention to the surroundings. Acts as a speed control bump. Although it is small and doesn’t give you a lot of warning time should someone need to go around it to make a turn, who can really, and I mean really, be offended because it takes a millisecond off your travel time to slow down.
Was that Scott Lepman’s property you were filming from?
I was standing in the right of way on the northern leg of the intersection, near property owned by a Lepman company.
Since one leg of this roundabout impacts Lepmans property one would wonder if they had influence on the installation.
Geez! Your paranoia becomes you…
What an ornery, uncalled for comment, Ray!
I drive this roundabout several times a week. The one thing drivers could do which would really help when driving westbound and you want to go to Waverly use your directional signal showing you plan to go around the traffic which is heading east on Old Salem. The same situation would apply when coming from Waverly to signal if you plan to turn right or go around and head west on Old Salem.
I signal at every leg of the other round a bout on Old Salem Rd and Main St because so much of the traffic goes and comes from every direction. At the North Albany and Gibson Hill round a bout I rarely signal because it seems the main traffic goes South on North Albany Rd and West on Gibson Hill Rd and are easy to see. What I don’t like about the Wavery and Old Salem Rd round a bout is that it I rarely drive that road so the round a bout comes up so silently because it’s not visible from a distance I’m never prepared for it! I seem to be going a bit too fast to feel safe! The other 2 round a bouts I named are both very visual you absolutely know you are approaching them!
I have barely missed vehicles coming South making a left hand turn into Waverly as I entered to round-about. Jammed by brakes on just it time. I do believe the fourth leg of circle was for Lepman’s benefit–we’ll see. .
When he’s the only landowner North of it…….
By Oregon law it is my understanding that as you enter a roundabout intersection you are to us your turn signals if you plan to made a turn, including “U-turns”. I’ve observed and experienced some near misses when drivers fail to signal their intentions.
Failure to do so in the Bend area where there are many roundabouts can result in getting a traffic violation ticket. Is this a possibility here in the Albany area?
Thanks, Hasso, for doing a blog piece on the Old Salem Road roundabout. your article sparked some very useful comments from your “public.” I am going to remember Cordier’s experience with people headed south who are turning left onto Waverly. And, yes, turn signals should be used, but, I have noticed every time I am going through Main Street’s roundabout that I am the only one using my turn signals. I think most people are awful drivers..
Hasso, I completely agree with you. I’ve driven through this roundabout about a dozen times now and things have worked fine both for myself and the other vehicles. As you state, this roundabout creates a margin of safety for people turning from Waverly on to Old Salem Road. This was a problematic intersection in the past. I’m unsure about the drivers who don’t like this change. Perhaps difficulty in adapting from previous habits?
We went through the Salem Ave roundabout yesterday and there was this Class A motorbike towing a car, heading West on Salem Ave. He couldn’t get through and jackknifed trying to back out. He blocked the who l e roundabout. He ended up going left on Waverly.