Local firefighters are worried a project designed to rework the roadways in the center of town will result in slower emergency response times.

Selectmen gave state officials at the Department of Transportation the green light to draw up final plans for the project and begin work on right-of-way acquisition late last month. Intended to relieve traffic congestion in the center of town, the road work will replace the intersection of Nashua and Marsh Roads and the entrance to Village Green with two new roundabouts.

Though originally given two options to pursue by the state, selectmen have tentatively endorsed the second plan, which may force Pelham Fire Department to forgo using the front entrance of the building during emergencies.

According to Planning Director Jeff Gowan, the preferred first option – which would have required the Fire Department to relocate – was effectively taken off the table after voters rejected a proposal to build a new $4.7 million firehouse during the March election.

Officials will have an opportunity to put a proposal for a new fire station before voters again next year, but acting Chief James Midgley is not optimistic given the recession and is, instead, looking to funding from the federal economic stimulus package as a possible solution.

“It looks hopeful for us in potentially getting stimulus funding because the town manager is working diligently to make these plans shovel ready. If the money came through we would be ready to start in a couple of weeks, and that rates you very high on potential funding,” Midgley said.

While nothing is set in stone yet – the plans are nearly identical for either proposal and selectmen reserved the right to switch to their preferred option if funding for a new station came through – Midgley worries that were the town and state to go ahead with the project, it would leave his fire apparatus doublestacked inside the station with only one way out.

“Right off the bat, they’re talking about bringing the road within a few feet of the front doors. We would have to look at the options of not using the front doors anymore. It’s going to delay our response,” he said. “There are a number of issues and none of them are good.”

For the time being, officials do have some room to work with, according to Gowan. A public hearing is set to be held sometime in May to review both roundabout options with the governor’s council, and construction would not begin until 2011.

At stake is a potential $3.9 million federal earmark to fund the project. While there is no timeline to use the money, Gowan is concerned that waiting too long to go ahead with the construction could result in the funds being rescinded. The project is already a year behind where it should be, Gowan said.

He also worries that construction costs could escalate and drive the price tag for the project upward in the meantime.

“It is money dedicated toward a specific project, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be rescinded,” he said. “We want to get whatever traffic solutions we’re able to complete completed without the town funding it.”