by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - It's a project touted to help ease the traffic congestion in the central part of Guam. And now after years of roadblocks, the Department of Public Works is moving forward with the development and construction of the Tiyan Parkway.

Development is moving forward, as the project will be implemented in two phases. Phase I is the construction of a new roadway completely on property belonging to the Guam International Airport Authority from Route 8 near San Jose Market to existing Sunset Boulevard just east of the former Guam Police Department headquarters. Phase II is closer to the Airport Terminal and will take a longer time to implement because it would require the reacquisition of land along the cliffline in order to intersect with Route 10a - this means the airport will have to pay original landowners in order to get back the cliffline property that was just returned by the government a few years ago.

But before any of the phases can be implemented n environmental assessment must be conducted, and according to an updated from DPW director Joanne Brown that critical element has been completed. The next step if for DPW to hold a public hearing on the assessment, which should be held in the next few weeks, and for GovGuam to hold meetings with Tiyan landowners.

"Overall, it's being able to get approval from FAA and the Airport because DPW owns no easement here in Tiyan we cannot build a roadway on property we don't have and certainly there's a lot of critical timelines. The Federal Highway Administration will assist us in purchasing of that property, but again everything has a timeline and if it takes too long moving forward to get those issues addressed we may not have that funding available, either. So it's a real critical process that we're working on and it's something that we and the Administration is very well aware of and it's certainly we'll continue to work on it," Brown told KUAM News.

With over 14,000 cars traveling through Tiyan everyday and federal funding that could be cut to the airport if not completed, own says GovGuam aware of what's at stake; it also has to take into consideration where it will have to come up with the estimated $5 million for the land acquisition that will be needed in order for the dirt to be turned.

"One of the things we're looking at is a GarVEE bond and we've working with our oversight chair Senator Tom Ada on that issue, and one of the things on the top of that list that we're looking at funding under that GarVEE bond is the Tiyan Parkway, so I would say it's a high priority for the department," Brown continued.

Last month Committee Chair on Transportation Senator Tom Ada introduced Bill 472. It's a creative way to borrow $75 million for highway improvement projects. The loan would be paid by future streams of grants received from the Federal Highway Administration, which Guam receives about $18 million annually. According to Senator Ada the loan would be issued through a mechanism allowed by federal law known as a Grant Anticipation Revenue Bond or (GarVEE). This allows grant recipients, such a Guam, to draw down on future grants enabling the acceleration of highway projects. If Bill 472 gets the green light, the funding would go toward projects like improvements the Tiyan Parkway.

"So it's important to know that if and when that happens that there's hope that there's going to be additional capacity and access provided at Tiyan," she said.