by Sabrina Salas Matanane, KUAM News Monday, May 23, 2005 Subscribe to Sabrina's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

The reconstruction and widening of Route 4 in Yona is a project that has been ongoing for what seems like a long time. However according to Larry Perez, director of the Department of Public Works, the project was originally scheduled for completion this past April, and is only roughly two months behind schedule.

The director attributes the delay of this project to two an unexpected circumstance - namely the discovery of an archaeological site containing bones of ancient Chamorros.

"Overall," Perez explained, "if you look from the time we started the project to where we are right now we're roughly at about a time extension of an additional 10% so you know that's give and take and that does happen those are cite conditions undetermined I mean who would've thought that during the process we would've found some burial grounds."

Perez added that these undeterminable site conditions happen with all their projects, which is why they normally give themselves a one to two-month cushion for these delays. He added that everything has been on schedule except for the archaeological find that was discovered at the tail end of the project.

Ponchio Elgarico owns a shop that operates right along the Yona road. He says that construction on the road hasn't been too bad, although he does attribute it to a slowdown in business. "Before when they got the construction in here people from the south sometimes they go the other way around to go downtown Agana," he explained of his condition. Elgarico says that business has picked up since a majority of the roadwork has been completed. He is optimistic that his business will pick up more once the job is completely finished.

Yona mayor Jose Terlaje also remains optimistic. He says that although he has no major complaints about the project he has come across a few shortfalls. "[I'm] kinda hesitant to sign off on the completion of the project until the shortfalls on the roadways based on the complaints that we get is remediated," the mayor said. According to the yona mayor these shortfalls include things like the entrances to residents being too narrow, several signs that were removed during the construction phase, and a need for traffic lights at certain busy intersections in Yona.

The mayor added that DPW tells him these issues will be addressed.

KUAM's Clynt Ridgell contributed to this report