If money was really tight in the public sector and our officials at all levels were trying to save as much as they can, none of them would think of blowing half a million dollars or so on the intersection of Water Avenue and Jackson Street in Albany. But that's what's being planned this summer.

The city of Albany expects to spend more than $200,000 on making the intersection attractive. And the Oregon Department of Transportation insists that crossing protection be provided at the adjacent railroad track, for which it expects to spend maybe $250,000.

For about a quarter century the place was the entrance to the Buzz Saw restaurant without a single close call between vehicles and trains, even if drivers sometimes left the premises after having had a few drinks.

Now the site is being redeveloped with the Wheelhouse Project, a restaurant and office building under construction on the riverfront where the Buzz Saw once stood. But there's no reason to believe that the likelihood of train-car collisions will increase.

In recent years there have been only two freights a day, and they creep along the track at 10 miles an hour or less because of the condition of the rails.

So on the face of it, installing expensive crossing protection there seems completely unnecessary.

And as for making the intersection pretty? Well, the intersection does its job perfectly well without the planned decorative pavers and other features called for in the "streetscape" plan for the length of Water Avenue.

The street now also serves as a handy bypass for traffic that wants to avoid delays at the signals on First and Second where they cross the downtown couplet of Lyon and Ellsworth.

Decorating the street won't cause it to do a better job. Instead it will make things worse from the standpoint of traffic flow because the plans call for stop signs on Water at Jackson, where people don't expect them.

The money for all this comes from designated funds and isn't available for many other things. But it's still public money and ought not to be spent without a much greater and actual need. (hh)