Guam Highway 1

The southern end of GH-1 begins near the entrance gate to Naval Base Guam, at a junction with GH-2A. Known as Marine Corps Drive, the route then travels to the northeast through tropical forests along Apra Harbor to the town of Piti. After passing through Piti, the drive runs along Tepungon Beach before passing Asan Point. It runs parallel to the coast along War in the Pacific National Historical Park's Asan Invasion Beach through the community of Asan. At Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex in Adelup, it passes northward through the western edge of Hagåtña. In this area, GH-1 runs through commercial areas parallel to the West Agaña Beach Front area. The drive passes the Paseo de Susana and Skinner Plaza before following Trinchera Beach northeasterly through town.{{cite map |first= Bert |last= Unpingco |first2= Frank M. |last2= Nielsen |date= January 2007 |title= Franko's Guide Map of Guam |scale= Scale not given |location= Corona, CA |publisher= Franko's Maps |sections= D2–C4, K7–J8 |isbn= 1-60190-090-2}}{{google maps |url= https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Route+1&daddr=Route+1&hl=en&sll=13.555764,144.89439&sspn=0.040218,0.02914&geocode=FVjLzAAdypKfCA%3BFeb5zgAdUv2iCA&mra=ls&t=h&z=12 |title= Overview Map of Guam Highway 1 |access-date= April 19, 2012}}

File:Marine Drive Guam.jpg

After passing through the Hagåtña and an area of Mongmong-Toto-Maite below the cliffline, the road turns towards the northeast and reaches typically its most congested section in Tamuning at the intersection with Guam Highway 14. Curving northwest past the intersection with Guam Highway 10A that leads to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, Marine Drive passes John F. Kennedy High School and the area of Upper Tumon. It curves northeasterly around the Micronesia Mall and inland areas of upper, losing sight of the ocean, before turning inland and southeasterly through residential areas as it cuts across the southern edges of Dededo. It runs to the south of the Guam International Country Club and north of the forested military property known as Andersen South. Marine Corps Drive passes the War Dead Cemetery and turns northeasterly with residential areas on both sides of the roadway through Yigo before reaching its terminus at Salisbury Junction, the main entrance to the Air Force Base, where the road continues to the northwest as GH-9.

Like most major highways on Guam, a {{convert|35|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} speed limit is posted throughout most of its length. In the past, GH-1 was one of the few roads to post a {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} limit on lengths of less-developed roadway. However, as more of the area became developed, certain sections of the roads were posted with lower limits. Travelers heading north away from the developed areas are allowed a {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} speed limit. However, the southbound lanes on the same sections remain posted at {{convert|35|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} due to development on the western side of the road.{{cite news |first=John |last=Davis |title=One Road, Two Speed Limits? Better Believe It |url=http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=11073930 |publisher=KUAM-TV |location=Hagåtña, GU |date=January 3, 2008 |access-date=February 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223134941/http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=11073930 |archive-date=February 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

The United States military began to develop and construct roads on the island in 1941. Some roads had existed prior to this, but improvements were beginning to take shape. Only one road, which encircled most of the island, had been graded. It was the primary route linking Agana (the name of the capital at the time) to Piti and Asan. This was the foundation for Marine Corps Drive. After the Japanese invasion, little infrastructure improvements were made by the occupiers. Road construction resumed by the US military after the island was invaded in 1944. In 60 days, a {{convert|12|mi|km|adj=on}}, four-lane super-highway with nine bridges was built after the invasion. The remainder of the roadway was built and numbered under the local administration after Guam was given civil government in 1950.{{cite web |author= National Park Service |author-link= National Park Service |url= http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/npswapa/extContent/cri/part2a.htm |title= Part 2a: History |work= Cultural Landscapes Inventory: Asan and Agat Invasion Beaches, War in the Pacific National Historical Park |publisher= National Park Service |access-date= February 19, 2008 |date= May 3, 2004}}

The road was known as simply Marine Drive until it was rededicated by Governor Felix Perez Camacho in 2004.{{cite news |url= http://www.bobsoffice.org/bobinthenews/april2004/041304_4.html |title= Governor Signs Order to Rename Marine Drive to 'Marine Corps Drive' |last= Eusebio |first= Marissa |publisher= KUAM-TV |location= Hagåtña, GU |date= April 13, 2004 | access-date=October 31, 2006 }} In 2012, the DPW has started to install LED streetlights along Marine Corps Drive.{{cite news |first= Arvin |last= Temkar |date= April 19, 2012 |work= Pacific Daily News |url= http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120419/NEWS01/204190312 |title= Conference Kicks off on Sustainability |access-date= April 19, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} At the same time, construction has started to replace the Agana Bridge along GH-1.{{cite news |first= Brett |last= Kelman |date= April 5, 2012 |work= Pacific Daily News |url= http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120405/NEWS01/204050309/Agana-Bridge-groundbreaking-April-16 |title= Agana Bridge Groundbreaking April 16 |access-date= April 19, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{jcttop|nocty=yes|length_ref=}}

{{GUint

|location=Santa Rita

|lspan=2

|mile=0.00

|road=Entrance to Naval Base Guam

|notes=Western terminus}}

{{GUint

|mile=0.05

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|2A|dir1=south|city1=Agat}}

|notes=Northern terminus of GH-2A}}

{{GUint

|location=Piti

|lspan=3

|mile=2.72

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|18|dir1=west|city1=Port Authority Beach}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-18}}

{{GUint

|mile=2.82

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|6|dir1=east|city1=Nimitz Hill}}

|notes=Western terminus of GH-6}}

{{GUint

|mile=3.10

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|11|dir1=west|location1=Commercial Port}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-11}}

{{GUint

|mile=6.00

|location=Asan

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|6|dir1=west|city1=Nimitz Hill}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-6}}

{{GUint

|location=Hagåtña

|lspan=2

|mile=7.66

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|4|dir1=west|city1=Sinajana}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-4}}

{{GUint

|mile=7.84

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|8|name1=Purple Heart Highway|dir1=east|city1=Mongmong}}

|notes=Western terminus of GH-8}}

{{GUint

|location=Tamuning

|lspan=2

|mile=10.34

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|14B|name1=Ypao Road|dir1=north|city1=Tumon}}

|notes=Southern terminus of GH-14B}}

{{GUint

|mile=10.70

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|10A|dir1=east|location1=Airport}}

|notes=Western terminus of GH-10A}}

{{GUint

|location_special=Tumon

|lspan=4

|mile=11.30

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|14A|dir1=north|city1=Tumon}}

|notes=Southern terminus of GH-14A}}

{{GUint

|mile=13.19

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|16|dir1=east|city1=Barrigada}}

|notes=Western terminus of GH-16}}

{{GUint

|mile=13.29

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|34|dir1=west}}

|notes=Southern terminus of GH-34}}

{{GUint

|mile=13.79

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|3|dir1=north}}

|notes=Southern terminus of GH-3}}

{{GUint

|location= Dededo

|lspan=4

|mile=13.99

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|27A|dir1=west}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-27A}}

{{GUint

|mile=14.70

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|27|dir1=west}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of GH-27}}

{{GUint

|mile=15.11

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|26|dir1=south|city1=Mangilao}}

|notes=Northern terminus of GH-26}}

{{GUint

|mile=15.30

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|28|dir1=north}}

|notes=Southern terminus of GH-28}}

{{GUint

|location=Yigo

|lspan=2

|mile=18.92

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|29|dir1=east|to2=to|GU|15}}

|notes=Western terminus of GH-29}}

{{GUint

|mile=21.04

|road={{jct|state=GU|GU|9|location1=Andersen AFB}}

|notes=Eastern terminus; entrance to Andersen Air Force Base }}

{{jctbtm}}

• {{portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}

• [http://www.nps.gov/wapa/planyourvisit/index.htm War in the Pacific National Historic Park]

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