THE Department of Public Works has extended its highway master plan to 20 years from 10 as originally drafted many years ago.
DPW’s long-range highway master plan, which was first revised in 2009, identifies and examines transportation issues related to mobility, safety and congestion in the CNMI.
During a meeting with the House Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday, DPW Highway Administrator Lorraine Villagomez informed lawmakers that the department was finalizing a highway master plan.
She said DPW has extended the time frame to 20 years because “10 years is too short a time to get major projects [done] especially the construction [phase] and the [completion of] engineering [design.]”
Villagomez also provided the committee an update on highway projects that are already underway. Among them are the installation of traffic lights at the corner of Beach and Quartermaster roads, and at the intersection of Middle Road and Kopa Di Oru St. near Garapan Central Park.
“Those traffic signal lights are going to go up soon,” she said.
Moreover, the $2 million Route 36 Windward/Chalan Kalabera road improvement project in Talafofo is already 40% complete while the improvement of Beach Road from Chalan Piao to the Atkins Kroll intersection has been announced for bids.
As for the engineering design of the Mt. Tapotchao road improvement project — it has been completed and engineers are now working on the drainage system and ponding basin, Villagomez said.
In addition, DPW Secretary James Ada said they are now accepting bids for the improvement of Industrial Drive in Puerto Rico.
All these projects are funded by the Federal Highway Administration, Villagomez said.
DPW has said that all the federally funded road and highway projects in the CNMI will cost $46.8 million.
