FOR about a year, residents have had to deal with incomplete road construction along the Barrigada tri-intersection and on Route 17 in Windward Hills because of Federal Highway Administration asphalt specification requirements with which contractors needed to comply.
During the past few weeks, the Department of Public Works began paving the project area, and this Saturday, crews are going to begin laying down the final friction course pavement, thus bringing traffic interruption in the area to an end.
The work is set for completion by Sunday evening.
“The tri-intersection has been a huge undertaking, one that was much needed and the completion of which marks a huge milestone in the 2030 Transportation Plan,” DPW Director Joanne Brown said. “On behalf of the department, I would like to thank the people of Guam who have endured the traffic delays and lane closures.”
Down south on Route 17, from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. today and tomorrow, the placement of pavement starts from the Mini Camachili Tree Store to the baseball field at Baza Gardens.
From 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12, a short section of Route 17 near Route 4 will also be paved, with traffic reduced to one lane during this time.
Joaquin Blaz, acting administrator for DPW’s Office of Highway Safety, said the asphalt mixture was not the only cause of the delays.
“Although the lack of an approved asphalt pavement mixture contributed to the delay on both projects, the more significant delays were caused by unmapped underground utility lines in conflict with the new construction,” he said.
Now that the mixture meets the standards, he reiterated the tri-intersection project can end this weekend while Route 17 is expected to end in August. Both projects cost about $5 million each.
When asked if the asphalt issue would occur with the ongoing Hagåtña Bridge/Route 1 and 8 project, Blaz said he doesn’t think there will be any delays. “The suppliers have made significant improvements in the quality of their products. The utility owners have been cooperating with DPW on design and construction of the bridge project. But it is always possible that unexpected things will turn up when excavating below the ground,” he said.
