Photo from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Market St. and Pennsylvania Ave. based on this design is set to break ground the week of April 3.

Construction of the long-debated roundabout at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue is set to begin the week of April 3.

And the Warren City Council has approved a lease with the contractor for a construction staging area at the base of Market Street.

City Manager Mike Holtz said that PennDOT has awarded the contract for the project to Bob Cummins Construction, LLC, a Bradford, Pa. firm. He said the pan is to “break ground the week of April 3.”

The firm, he explained, has asked for permission to use the city’s pump station lot at the base of Market Street as a parking area and staging area.

That parcel is “annually leased to Allegheny Outfitters to use in launching and landing canoes and kayaks,” Holtz said.

He explained that the agreement with the contractor does not include the space utilized by AO.

“(I) made everybody aware how important that is,” he stressed.

Mayor Dave Wortman asked if there were other areas that could be utilized for staging construction elements.

“Since the inception of the parking garage,” Holtz said, the city has used the lots in front of the garage. “Those areas have gotten smaller in the last few years” due to development along the riverfront.

While construction is just over a month away, the opposition to the project present at council was again expressed on Monday.

Councilman John Wortman said he recognized that while he may disagree with the members that voted for it – and who believe it’s what’s best for the community — he reiterated his belief that he “did not believe the City of Warren should assist in any way” with the construction of this project.

“Constructing this roundabout against the wishes of our citizenry is a travesty,” he said, but cited a “greater concern” in the “millions (of dollars) foolishly wasted on this. We should be advocating for our citizenry to halt this project” rather than abide by decisions by unelected bureaucrats.

The agreement with the contractor passed 5-2 with Wortman and Mayor Dave Wortman voting in opposition.