Phase I of Tiyan Parkway begins

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - After years of discussion and planning, Phase I of the Tiyan Parkway officially got underway this week. The work is expected to be completed in March of next year.

Ground was broken on the first leg of work that will connect the Guam International Airport Authority with Route 8 in Maite. Department of Public Works director Carl Dominguez says Imco was awarded the contract and the parkway should be ready for the motoring public by Spring 2015.

While most government contracts include a damages clause should the contractor run late in completing the project, Dominguez says his agency also added in an incentive clause, noting, "For every day that they can open up the parkway before the days they are going to get a bonus.  Next week Tuesday we will have a groundbreaking for the parkway."

While the public won't see earth moving equipment just yet, Imco will begin preparatory work surveying boundaries of the parkway first. The contract provides that the government can impose damages or an incentive of $2,700 a day.  Should the project be considerably ahead of schedule, Dominguez says the incentive is capped at $250,000.

Public Works says motorists can expect minimal disruption. "There will be some disruption at the Route 8 traffic signal intersection that still has to be built and also where the parkway merges into Sunset Boulevard, but other than that the motoring public won't be inconvenienced," he stated.

Phase one will stretch from the Cars Plus border in Maite past the former Guam Police Department headquarters toward the cliffline and merging with Sunset Boulevard.  Phase II of the parkway still needs to be designed and Dominguez says the government is working with private landowners to acquire lots.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for this Tuesday with Phase I of the project to be completed by March 2015.