Morrison proposes long-term solution to fund road repairs

Morrison

GUAM—Among the concerns raised by residents during public hearings held these past several days regarding future development in southern Guam is the condition of Guam’s roadways. Regardless of where they stand on the issue of economic growth in Guam’s historic southern villages, residents spoke about the need to fix major roadways and village streets.

According to information provided by the Department of Public Works (DPW), the agency will need $14 million to address just the top three road projects in all 19 villages. The total cost to repair many of our roadways according to the latest Village Streets Master Plan is estimated at $746 million. Proposed improvements include: paving, pavement repair, drainage, utilities, street extension/widening, lighting, and traffic safety.

Senator Tommy Morrison recently introduced Bill No. 372-33 (COR) “to energize conversations moving forward that will help identify a long-term solution to improve Guam’s roads.” The measure proposes to require the legislature, through the annual budget process, to set aside no less than one percent of General Fund revenues to fund road repairs.

During the previous budget cycle, DPW stated publicly that it received $2 million worth of new heavy equipment including dump trucks, excavators, and backhoes to help fix village roads and address other issues. And, the agency planned to hire additional personnel to help address various concerns raised by village mayors.

In recent meetings with DPW officials, Senator Morrison was informed that the agency completed a number of small projects such as Chalan Lamasu in Dededo, Roy Damian St. in Toto, and pothole repairs in parts of Malojloj using existing personnel and resources. DPW estimates that with additional funds, it can build and/or repair 2-lane roads at a cost of approximately $150,000-$180,000 for every half a mile. Most, if not all of the funds, will be used to purchase asphalt material. Of the estimated $12 million DPW receives annually from the Guam Highway Fund, only $5 million is committed for highway maintenance—as funds are shared for other needs such as bus operations, transportation maintenance, and fuel for bus operations. And of the $5 million annual budget for road repairs, only $1 million is available for asphalt and other construction materials.

“With many potholes fixed and roads resurfaced since Governor Calvo’s Pothole Repair Program was announced in 2014, we still have much more work to be done. If Bill No. 372-33 (COR) is passed, and if we use the FY 2017 Budget Act as an example, approximately $8.4 million in General Fund revenues would be prioritized specifically to purchase asphalt and other materials for up to 23 miles in road repair projects within a single year.” continued Senator Morrison.

“In addition to the approximately $15 million Guam receives in federal funding for routed roads, imagine how many more potholes we can fix and uneven and damaged roads we can resurface across our island if just a portion of the government’s budget can be set aside, every year, specifically for DPW to purchase asphalt and other required construction materials and supplies. Clearly, having only $1 million, annually, for asphalt makes it difficult for the hardworking staff of DPW to address various road projects as quickly as we’d like. If we seriously focus on road repairs just as we continue to prioritize tax refunds and the needs of education, health, and public safety—then we can truly begin to chip away at the nearly $1 billion worth of road projects that must be addressed.”

“From the safe transportation of our children to and from school, the ability of first responders to quickly and safely respond to emergencies, tourism and economic development—to the sharing of our roadways among motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, etc., roads affect nearly every aspect of our lives. Moving forward, I urge my colleagues to prioritize road repairs,” concluded Senator Morrison.

For additional information regarding this Press Release, please contact Senator Morrison’s Office at 478-8669 or send an e-mail to tommy@senatormorrison.com. (PR)