Bridge, water tank projects break ground

By Amanda Francel Blas, Guam PDN. 

GUAM - Two groundbreaking ceremonies were held yesterday for projects worth millions.

Several government and other officials shoveled gravel to signal the start of the Inarajan North Leg, or As-Misa, bridge rehabilitation project. Meanwhile, the Guam Waterworks Authority also held a groundbreaking for its second concrete water tank at its Latte Heights site.

The $1.2 million bridge rehabilitation project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and was awarded to IMCO Construction.

The project is expected to be completed by May 2015.

The project will consist of scour protection, laying new approach slab, installation of guardrails and repairing spalls located at the bridge deck and abutments.

The project designer is N.C. Macario and the project will be managed by Stanley Consultants along with the Department of Public Works.

In a nutshell, the project will make the bridge more safe, DPW Director Carl Dominguez said.

Dominguez said the project will ensure that when the next big typhoon or earthquake hits, the bridge will remain structurally sound.

The bridge connects to the historic part of the village and is important for many drivers who live in the south, he said.

The project will bring some inconvenience, but the end product will have lasting benefits, he added.

Inarajan Mayor Doris Lujan said she's very happy that the project will kick off and hopes other roads in her village can be worked on.

New tank

The water tanks at GWA's Latte Heights site -- the location of the new concrete tank -- are the main source of water for the central part of the island, according to Joey Duenas, a member of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities.

"We're looking forward to this -- providing better service to our ratepayers," Duenas said.

The tanks also are part of GWA's efforts to meet its federal court order, said Heidi Ballendorf, utilities spokeswoman.

The court order requires inspection, repair, relocation or replacement of the 30 tanks around the island, Pacific Daily News files state.

Costing about $4 million, Duenas said the tank is funded by GWA's 2013 bonds.

"We're going to keep borrowing money to fix our island's water systems because it's been neglected for so many years," Duenas said.

GWA also hopes to see more concrete tanks in the future.

"We hope to break ground on three more concrete tanks in the next 18 months," Ballendorf said.