THE Commonwealth Ports Authority’s board of directors on Thursday unanimously approved a $9.7 million supplemental budget for the construction of a new commuter terminal at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
The commuter terminal that served inter-island travelers between Saipan, Rota, and Tinian was heavily damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu in 2018.
During Thursday’s meeting, CPA board chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds, vice chair Roman Tudela, and board members Pete P. Reyes and Joseph Diaz voted to approve the CPA management’s supplemental budget request.
King-Hinds said the funding source is the insurance proceeds that CPA will collect.
But she also noted that when CPA first initiated the construction project, the cost was more than $2 million. Now, she said it’s almost $10 million.
King-Hinds added that it took a while before CPA could proceed with the project because there were a lot of things they had to submit, and they still had to wait for the release of the insurance money.
Then they had to solicit bids for the architectural and engineering design while complying with the procurement requirement, she said.
“I am very excited about this project and hopefully we can get it done soon,” she added,
The new facility, once completed, will be approximately 19,000 square feet and will include four check-in counters and airline office spaces, a food and beverage concession space, a larger holding room, a larger baggage claim area, and an area for U.S. Customs Border Protection processing.
The new terminal will include modern restrooms, adequate seating, and will be in compliance with the American Disabilities Act requirements.
Also on Thursday, the CPA board approved $1.9 million in supplemental funding for the expansion of the Tinian International Airport parking lot. The funding source is the Tinian divert airfield lease payment from the U.S. military.
The expansion project will reduce the congestion of vehicles and create a more organized parking lot for the convenience of the public, King-Hinds said.
Kimberlyn King-Hinds
