Construction is ongoing at the Marianas High School intersection in Susupe on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.
DEPARTMENT of Public Works Secretary Ray Yumul said opening the entirety of Texas Road to traffic presents its own set of financial, legal and regulatory issues that might not make it a feasible option to alleviate congested traffic on Beach Road where construction projects are ongoing.
In a phone interview on Monday, Yumul also mentioned that construction on Beach Road might be ongoing until July.
Last week, Saipan Mayor RB Camacho said the portion of Texas Road directly behind the Marianas High School gymnasium could be an alternate route for motorists on Beach Road.
Camacho sent a letter on Jan. 10 to Department of Public Lands Secretary Teresita Santos seeking any “proposed improvements, expansions, or modifications” DPL might have for Texas Road.
However, Public Law 20-52 designates DPW as the government agency exclusively authorized to promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to rights of way.
In a Jan. 11 letter to the Mayor’s Office of Saipan, Santos said, “While…DPL collaborates with…DPW on projects involving land acquisition or access to public lands, the construction and management of highways and right of ways fall outside our jurisdiction. Therefore, I would recommend that you direct your concerns to the DPW,” Santos writes.
For his part, Yumul said allowing traffic through the current private property portion of Texas Road would be “complicated” for a number of issues.
The family there would need to agree with the government regarding compensation for the land, Yumul said.
He added that assuming an agreement could be reached, the project would need to be approved by the Attorney General’s office and appropriate regulatory agencies such as Coastal Resources Management, the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, CNMI Fish and Wildlife, among others.
Yumul said any endangered species in the area could also delay a public road project.
He said the Beach Road improvement projects could be completed before the Texas Road project could even start.
Yumul said he understands the “concern and frustration” regarding the Beach Road projects. He hopes the community can use established alternate routes during peak traffic hours, which coincide with the start and end of classes at Marianas High School, Mount Carmel and Saipan Community School.
He noted that Federal Highway Administration funds have paid for police officers to be stationed at “critical choke points” on Beach Road to help move traffic along.
However, he said, the Texas Road issue is “nothing new” as previous governors and legislators have also explored the possibility of opening the road.
“Of course, we also want DPL and the Office of the Governor and the Legislature to look at long-term plans for Texas Road if we still need to open it up…. That’s all open for debate,” Yumul said.
Regarding the completion of the Beach Road project, he said construction deadlines are always “moving targets,” but he hopes that “most of the paving” can be completed before July, when the Liberation Day festivities begin.
