HONOLULU — The Honolulu Department of Transportation Services is sending a two-person crew and equipment to Guam to help repair critical transportation infrastructure that was destroyed during Typhoon Mawar, according to a news release.
DTS is sending a bucket-equipped utility truck, traffic signal lights and other supplies to assist the Guam Department of Public Works in restoring traffic signals at 90 intersections. The two-person crew will be in Guam for seven days to facilitate the repairs. If more work is needed, DTS will send another pair of City Traffic Signal workers to Guam, while the original team returns to Hawaii.
Typhoon Mawar briefly made landfall May 24 as a Category 4 storm on the island that is home to about 150,000 people. During the typhoon, cars flipped over, roofs were ripped off, trees were stripped of their foliage and many villages were left without running water and electricity, according to the Associated Press. A long recovery effort is currently underway.
“We understand the immense challenges faced by the people of Guam in the aftermath of this devastating storm, and we are committed to providing the expertise and resources needed to restore their essential services,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a news release.
The Honolulu Department of Transportation Services is working in partnership with the Hawaii State Department of Transportation, Hawaii Emergency Management, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the infrastructure support project in Guam.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.