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I few things to consider. First, I bet that most developed communities with the population and revenue income equivalent to Guam don't design storm drainage systems to handle double digit rainfall in a 24 hour period. In most jurisdictions that type of rainfall qualifies or nearly qualifies for declared disaster assistance and unfortunately 12 inches of rain in 24 hours would take lives in some U.S communities.
Second, with regard to limited annual FHWA highway funding I bet again that designing and building (to include land condemnation) to Guam's peak rainfall events annually is an expensive undertaking and would have to be funded from the same pot of money. Highway construction and maintenance is very expensive per unit cost (ask DPW how much 1 ft of road costs at FHWA standards). If you want to handle Guam type floods you will have to accept less road improvement. It's like side walks and bike lanes - historically the same funding source, for the most part. Some smaller side road reconstruction and maintenance is funded through local tax revenues on gasoline sales, I believe. George makes a valid point above about spending priorities, but there's a real limit called cost effective construction.
For thousands of years humans have lived, worked and recreated in flood prone areas and....suffer the consequences. GovGuam should better enforce flood regulations. If you really follow the requirements in flood zones our houses and our roads would be built on piles and much base fill and that's expensive. Think about the first floor of houses 5-10 ft above grade and Route 1 at Polaris point ten feet higher at peak slopping up for about a half mile on either side or less combined with a bridge. Route 1 at Polaris is essentially at sea leave with mountains draining to a constriction point. Most of us like that road so let's live with it a couple times a year or pony up million more to really fix it. I say live with it and provide more well maintained roads elsewhere!
The more you pave and fill in flood zones the more pronounced/concentrated the problem. So, if we want to live in flood zones we have to pay the price for damage or super-sized storm drainage systems. I don't presently live in a flood zone (but did as child) and while I now know better and won't pay extra on future land and home construction in a flood zone I also don't think that my tax contributions (I don't get tax refunds) should necessarily be spent on expensive control for others. I don't want to subsidize crazy expensive flood control for a few at the expense of public services including safer quality roads island-wide. If I fault government it's not having the will to enforce regulations that benefit the common good. Yes, we need change but in the mean time we get what we pay for - personal choices, people we elect and the poor government services we tolerate. Think New Orleans, which build on a delta or former wetlands (reclaimed/originally at or below sea level). Why should federal dollars bail that city out? Why lift huge pumps under the city and miles of levies? Does that make practical sense? No, it's mitigation for bad development. But it is what it is and we should learn from it. Make wise choices today and if those are too costly (personally or collectively) now, look to change things over the long term. I'm simply saying consider the root causes and let's all do better. It's not only about pouring more money into flood control.
HELL NO! THEIR ANSWER IS ALWAYS "NO FUNDS", BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR PAY RAISES THERE'S MONEY. PAGO BAY, POLARIS POINT, TUMON ETC HAVE BEEN FLOODING AREAS FOR DECADES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, WHY? THEY DON'T CARE, PASSING BILLS LIKE HAVING POLICE OFFICERS LIVE IN GHURA, RAISING THE SMOKING AGE LIMIT, GAY MARRIAGE, REFURBISHING DOA BUILDING ETC ARE MORE IMPORTANT. 2016-OUT WITH THE GOLD DIGGERS.
Looks like 10 GG workers woke up early enough to vote yes. At least they did something today.
Of all the storm drain systems on island, I've yet to see DPW invest in lift stations, all there systems are gravity dependent, Without the ability to drain storm water comes alternatives, either it floods people's homes or it infiltrates into the public sewer systems, I'm not commenting to be a burden or critic, I hope to be part of the solution with possible and proven ideas