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Mayor, council continue debate over “peanut” roundabout; public comment, schedule set for follow-up
Summary
Worcester officials and members of the public continued discussion about the proposed ‘peanut’ roundabout at Elm/Cleveland/Bell, with the mayor pressing for timely action, residents objecting to property and safety impacts, and council scheduling further public discussion on April 7.
Mayor Reynolds and city staff renewed discussion Tuesday night about the proposed roundabout — locally nicknamed the “peanut” — for the intersection of Elm, Cleveland Road and Bell, saying the city should act now to avoid future congestion as nearby development increases.
Reynolds said the intersection’s current and projected traffic levels justify rebuilding it and that delaying construction would only increase future disruption. "I strongly believe that the peanut is necessary and that now is the time to do it," he said, adding that the county has indicated a willingness to provide land to reduce the amount the city would need to take from neighboring property owners.
The mayor framed the issue as a choice of timing: build now and accept months of construction-related disruption, or delay until the intersection becomes more heavily used and harder to fix. He and staff told council the city has discussed funding and phasing and that some takings would be necessary but — the mayor said — likely minimal.
Why it matters: council members and staff said substantial residential, institutional and commercial development is expected near the intersection, and that without improvements the junction could become impassable during parts of the school day. The city emphasized that property owners required to give land would be compensated "as required under Ohio law and the U.S. Constitution," a point the mayor raised while discussing takings and compensation.
Councilmember Wharton and Ward(en) (committee lead) reported an informal public meeting earlier that day and encouraged residents beyond the immediate neighbors to comment. Ward(en) said the session was livestreamed and that additional public input is helpful to the council’s deliberations.
At the public-comment portion of the meeting, resident Robert Barnett said he opposes the project and predicted decreased property values and driveway access problems; he told council he would record his driveway and “sue the city” if he could not access his property because of construction or design changes. Another speaker, identified only as Townsend, said they shared similar concerns and declined to repeat the earlier remarks.
City staff and council emphasized that additional public meetings and data will inform next steps. The council agreed to continue the conversation with a publicly noticed roundabout follow-up on April 7 at 6:00 p.m., and the mayor said formal authorization for any acquisition or construction will come later if council directs it.
No final vote was taken Tuesday on the roundabout; the item remains in the discussion and study phase and will return to council for potential authorization of property acquisition and construction in the months ahead.
The meeting packet and staff presentations referenced coordination with Wayne County and earlier outreach to property owners; councilmembers repeatedly urged residents to submit comments to their council representative or the administration before the April session.
Ending: Council additionally noted that the peanut’s timeline depends on funding and on the bond issue tied to school planning; if that bond measure fails, related school-site plans and timelines could change and affect the roundabout schedule.
