YET another groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, this time for Phase II of Route 36 Windward Road/Chalan Kalabera Road improvements.
Officially known as Project No. CM-NH-0036(004), this nearly $12 million project will include improvements to Chalan Windward and crossings at Unai Fanhang and Unai Nanasu.
The Chalan Windward improvements will include a 40-foot-wide right-of-way, construction of two 11.6-foot-wide travel lanes, and the construction of a 4.5-foot-wide paved road shoulder and bike lane on both sides of the road.
The Unai Fanhang and Unai Nanasu crossings include the construction of 11.6-foot-wide travel lanes, a 4.5-foot-wide paved road shoulder and bike lane on both sides of the road, and two concrete box culverts with wing wall or retaining walls at openings with concrete energy dissipator at downstream openings.
At Unai Fanhang, a single-cell reinforced concrete box culvert with mechanically stabilized earth walls will be constructed.
The culvert will span 114 feet across the length of the steam, 16 feet wide and 8 feet high.
A similar culvert will be constructed at Unai Nanasu, but 116 feet across.
The project also addresses other stormwater drainage construction, specifically drainage swales along the road to collect runoff, and energy dissipators at certain locations.
RNV Construction is the contractor for the project, which is anticipated to be completed by May 23, 2022.
One step closer
In his opening remarks, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said the CNMI is one step closer to being able to drive around the entire island.
“This will definitely change the way we market Saipan, not just for tourism, but as well as [for] bikers, [car enthusiasts], and enjoy our islands on the backside,” he said.
“I know there are years of hard work, but every hard work [has] a good success story.”
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, who heads the Highway Task Force, noted the history behind this project finally breaking ground.
“This is a momentous groundbreaking ceremony. I say that because this project has been going on since Juan Nekai Babauta was the Washington representative in the late 1990s. That’s how long this funding was. It’s congressional funding…to the tune of about $12 million,” he said.
He said the project was delayed because of major challenges pertaining to regulations, the Endangered Species Act, dealing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as with the Historic Preservation Office.
“There were a lot of major setbacks, but today, we’re here to break ground…. This groundbreaking ceremony is a testament to over two decades of persistence to get this thing done,” he said.
“There have been a lot of groundbreaking ceremonies in the past month, and that’s because we were able to refocus, reprioritize funding, and re-shift funding. That is not to say that this road is more important than that road, but we have to do some evaluation of which roads should come first, which roads should come second, and so on.”
Palacios said he is looking forward to the ribbon-cutting ceremonies for all of these road projects.
“I’m not too keen on groundbreaking. I get more excited when we cut ribbons and celebrate the completion of a project,” he added.
‘Thank you so much’
The Torres-Palacios administration, Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider and House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez extended their gratitude to the Department of Public Works, federal partners, community members, and all stakeholders for their contributions to the fruition of this project.
Representing the Camacho family whose roots are set deep in the area was Rep. Joel Camacho of Precinct 4.
“I am truly honored to be a part of this groundbreaking ceremony and blessed to be able to witness this project moving forward in this lifetime,” he said.
Camacho noted that although Precinct 4 is one of the biggest landmasses on Saipan, utilization of the land has been limited due to road accessibility.
He said if completed, the road will not only open up accessways, but will also potentially provide new opportunities for homestead lots and commercial activities that will ultimately help the CNMI economy and the CNMI people.
“As one of the representatives of Precinct 4, I am truly humbled and honored to see this project materialize. But most of all, [I’m] happy because this road connects to an area that is very sentimental to my family and [me],” he said.
The lawmaker recalled his childhood memories growing up in the area with his family on their farm, including his grandfather and late grandmother whom he said would have been grateful to have witnessed the monumental groundbreaking ceremony.
Camacho thanked the federal grantors, the Torres-Palacios administration, the DPW, and all of the partners and stakeholders who made this project possible.
RNV Construction general manager Ruel Villacrusis, for his part, expressed his gratitude to his team and to God for getting this project.
“We are not in road construction, only small projects, but we are happy that it was awarded to us,” he said.
Villacrusis said his team will work closely with DPW engineers.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday for the Route 36 Windward/Chalan Kalabera road improvement project.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios
Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider
House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez
Rep. Joel Camacho
DPW Secretary James Ada
