Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – In a letter to City Council, PennDOT Acting Executive Deputy Secretary Melissa J. Batula said the “opportunity to pause and change direction” on the roundabout “has passed.”
Thursday’s letter from PennDOT was in response to a letter sent by City Council requesting that the decision to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Market Street be reversed and that council meet with PennDOT “to attend to any details associated with this request before any financial ramifications are incurred by the City.”
Given the time and resources PennDOT has already put into the project, Batula said it is too late to stop at this point.
“We believe that this project was created through a collaborative planning process as required by federal law and was developed with the appropriate good faith, consideration and transparency,” Batula said. “Significant effort and funding have been invested over the last five years to arrive at a project that is ready to be constructed and will be a great improvement for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists alike. The opportunity to pause and change direction has passed.”
At least one council member was not surprised by PennDOT’s response.
“There was no way that PennDOT was going to reverse their decision,” Councilman Phil Gilbert, who voted “hard no” on sending a letter to PennDOT, said. “They already spent millions of dollars on this project, and have given plenty of time for feedback, and for council to make their decision. It was decided by council a while ago to move forward with this project.”
Since being sworn-in in January, this council has spent parts of multiple meetings and dedicated a work session to the roundabout project in hopes of reversing the decision.
“It’s unfortunate that with the new council voted in, we have wasted time focusing on this issue when we could have been spending time focusing on the EMS issue facing not only the city but the county as well. Or any other issue facing the city,” Gilbert said. “And now? The city taxpayers will spend more money on the project – potentially $3,000 – $4,000. Where’s the outcry? How many sidewalks could be replaced with that money? Where’s the stomping of the feet and the yelling now? I guess we like to pick and choose what we get mad about.”
Council outlined seven issues in its letter that it felt justified a halt to the project. PennDOT responded to each issue specifically in its letter.
The roundabout, PennDOT said, would “decrease delays at the intersection, saving both time and fuel consumption for the citizens, trucking companies, and businesses who use the intersection.”
In response to council’s claim that the roundabout would cause the “potential/probable relocation of businesses” at the intersection, PennDOT said, “we have been in conversations with several businesses adjacent to the intersection throughout the design process and have not heard of any that are considering relocation due to this project.”
The project will cause the loss of 29 parking spaces in the area. PennDOT said the impact of those lost spots would be minimal due to the abundance of parking, including the parking garage, nearby.
PennDOT said it estimates that roundabouts are less costly to maintain than signal intersections, though the amenities of adding aesthetically pleasing elements can increase maintenance costs.
“If the City of Warren would prefer a stone or concrete center island and less-expensive light poles to save money on annual maintenance, that can still be discussed,” PennDOT said.
PennDOT reiterated the safety features of a roundabout vs. a signal intersection.
“Roundabouts have shown to be safer for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic,” PennDOT said. “Our studies show that pedestrian accidents are reduced by 35% in locations where traffic signals were replaced by single-lane roundabouts.”
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
