What if there is a green left turn arrow and the person in the left lane is going straight? That person cannot proceed, because the opposite side has a green left turn arrow too. The next person in line might want to turn left but cannot, even though the arrow is green. This is a problem when there is no turning lane, unless the left lane is used exclusively for left turns.

I agree, Joe. And the best way to fix it is to make Western a 3-lane (2 lanes both directions, with a center turn lane), extending from South Allen, or at least past the Madison/Western intersection, to perhaps the SUNY campus line. Wolf Road works with this arrangement. Madison Ave. is scheduled to become a 3-lane from Lark to South Allen, but the city unfortunately opted not to continue this 3-lane arrangement up Western--which leaves the Manning intersection exactly the same as it's been for years: you can't turn left except at midnight when there's no traffic. Western Ave is a speedway going east, and then traffic screeches to a dead stop at a green light if a resident wants to turn onto his/her own street! (or going west, left onto South Manning, to get across town to New Scotland or the hospital.) Pedestrians are also on their own when trying to cross at the Western/Manning intersection. Install pedestrian lights too that accommodate the left turns at the existing green arrows from both Mannings...otherwise somebody's going to get killed.

Forgot to say: a 3-lane with turn lane also has worked remarkably well for Manning Blvd. itself, which used to be another crosstown speedway. And Western Ave. to the SUNY campus line, like Wolf Rd., has several businesses as well as side streets that receive a lot of "turning" traffic. So does Madison Ave., for which a 3-lane is projected. So this works for commercial areas as well as residential.

It's amazing how so many of the intersections here around the Capital District have remained pretty much exactly the same since the 1930's with absolutely no improvements!! Some of the traffic lights look as though they are the same ones that have been there for 80 years, while the amount of traffic they were designed to direct has increased 10-fold!!! No left-turn arrows anywhere, no dedicated left-turn lanes, crumbling pavement, broken-down lighting, exposed wires hanging everywhere-- you'd think it was the 1890's around here!!!

This is no way to run a city, a county, or a state!!! It's time to pick up the pace and get ready for the future!! How the heck are we supposed to welcome all this tourism into the Upstate regions when our infrastructure is decrepit and crumbling out from under us? It's disgusting to see how far this city has lagged behind!!! Other cities of comparable size have wonderful streets, great mass transportation including light rail and interurban railbusses, and ways to take commuter vehicles off the road. But what do we do here in Albany County? NOTHING. We just sit here and always maintain the status quo.

AWAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER, ALBANY!!! Time to actually DO SOMETHING for your residents!!!

Anonymous, I could not agree more. To me, local government should provide, after safety, proper infrastructure ABOVE ALL ELSE. Why do we see the City of Albany spending so much on non-essential things while our infrastructure crumbles? Is it Jennings or the Common Council? I wish they would go BACK TO BASICS and provide for their citizens. If it were up to me I would double or triple the budget for these things at the expense of everything else.

This issue has been routed to the appropriate unit for review.

In a similar post (now closed), Bill, APD Traffic Eng. (Verified Official) wrote of this problem:
Turn arrows with and without lanes (depending upon direction of travel) will be added to this intersection as part of a traffic signal replacement project that is scheduled to start later this summer [2014]. We will use split signal phasing to address the issues previously discused. This will increase the signal timing and delays slightly. But, it will addess the need for left turn arrows. In addition, pedestrian traffic signal equipment will be installed as part of this project.
[dated 2014-04-23]

None of this has occurred. When will it happen? The problem has definitely not gone away.

Yeah, that definitely didn't happen this summer. I agree with the vigorous anonymous post about infrastructure and definitely public transit. How many users here would like to report the entire downtown for limited parking space issues? Meanwhile, buildings on Central and other places keep going vacant with no businesses.

I would like to see better public transit in general and green public transit. I'd also like to see more public transit after dark and at weird times. Stores are open at all kinds of hours now but it seems like the only public transit that runs after 10pm or so is the Central Ave bus route to Schtdy. I work retail and a lot of us can't afford cars. I get off at midnight on Friday nights. I'm sure there's bartenders and janitors and waitstaff with the same problem. And if you have more public transit whenever drunks leave bars there will be fewer accidents.

I'd also like to see refurbished green buildings and new buildings with good green tech. It's not only better to live in, it saves money. (See GSA white paper at http://gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/Green_Building_Performance.pdf )
Some stats: the green buildings surveyed in the paper cost less to maintain than traditional buildings by 19 percent, use less energy by 25 percent and less water by 11 percent, emit less carbon dioxide by 34 percent, and have more satisfied occupants by 27 percent. Part of climate change means more frequent storms, like the ones that knock out everybody's power or floor the intersection near the building where I live. NYC is doing a lot of stuff to prepare for climate change, so should we.

We should do more to encourage local business to start up in downtown and other parts of Albany. It's pretty hard for mom and pop businesses to start up here, I researched it a few years ago. Troy is revitalizing their downtown and they have had new locally-owned shops start up and do well.

Rental housing also sucks, rent is really high. Is there a way for the city to build and run good safe places with low rent or to encourage people to build these AND be good landlords? Green buildings, saved utility money, lower rents, people live closer to work, fewer cars, fewer traffic problems. Sounds good to me.

Is there anywhere people talk about this stuff? Do we have town hall meetings or anything?

*That should read "flood the intersection", not "floor".

Can this issue be closed? Best to the safety of Albany.

The intersection now has 4 left turn lights correct? This was the desired fix correct?