A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony was held Thursday for the enhancement of Tun Herman or Airport Road in lower Dandan.
The project extends for 1.5 miles from Route 31 Chalan Monsignor Guerrero to its intersection with Route 304 Flame Tree Road.
The proposed repairs will involve graded anti-skid pavement, pavement markings, installation of guardrail and permanent traffic signs.
Repairs of the existing roadway will begin 300 feet from the intersection of Route 31 and end at Exploring Drive, a distance of approximately 4,200 feet.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios assembled a working group of key government personnel to push federal highway projects that would better serve residents’ transportation needs and accessibility on roads in need of repair.
The Highway Task Force, led by Lt. Governor Palacios, was formed in October and comprised civil engineers, planners, and administrators from the Department of Public Works and the Capital Improvements Office to streamline plans, projects, and funding for major highways in the CNMI.
The project is fully funded by the federal government, namely the Federal Highway Administration, to rebuild roads damaged through disasters, heavy equipment, and natural events, such as erosion and storm water runoff.
“I want to thank the governor for his support of me and our Highway Task Force. When we first got into office, one of the first priorities we talked about was the improvement of our major roadways and thoroughfares on Saipan, especially areas where many of our residents travel on,” Lt. Governor Palacios said.
Due to Super Typhoon Yutu and the Covid-19 pandemic, he added, the administration was unable to proceed with these improvements because they were focused on the recovery and rebuilding of the Commonwealth, as well as the safety of the community through the CNMI Covid-19 Task Force.
“As we move from the pandemic, rebuilding our economy and infrastructure was our next challenge,” he said.
The Highway Task Force has been working expeditiously to push forward these projects with the $1 million already allocated by the Federal Highway Administration.
Lt. Governor Palacios noted that Airport Road is a major highway widely used by residents, whether they are picking up loved ones from the airport, or commuting to and from work.
“It is also the first road our visitors see when they arrive in the Marianas, and we know that first impressions are everything,” he added.
The road is in dire need of repaving and modernization, he noted, adding that it is at high risk for accidents.
“We knew that we needed to make sure we address this problem and to make it easier and safer for people to travel,” he said.
“We are very excited to get this project going, and we thank the community [for their] patience and understanding. We also would like to acknowledge the families who have shared their concerns with us, and we thank them for being a part of this process. This is a great day for our community as a whole.”
Lt. Governor Palacios, together with Governor Torres, said they look forward to overseeing the completion of this repaving and the ongoing modernization of major roads in the CNMI, such as Beach Road in the months ahead.
Governor Torres, for his part, said he hopes that DPW and the contractor will address the concerns raised by community members regarding this project.
He commended the lt. governor and the Highway Task Force for ensuring that permitting was done right, addressing all of the residents’ concerns.
“Today is a good day. As you know, tourism is our only industry here. Coming here and fixing this road is the first step of the [CNMI becoming a] world-class destination, seeing the transformation of not just tourist sites, but also our roads,” he said.
Rep. Angel Demapan, who represents Precinct 1, said he and his colleagues are very excited for the groundbreaking of this project.
“This road is very important to us because it’s the first and last impression that our visitors see when they arrive at the airport and when they depart the islands. As a prime tourist destination, it’s very important to us to make sure that we leave those lasting impressions when they get here and when they leave so that they can go back and share the wonders of the Marianas with their friends and families and attract more visitors here,” he said.
The lawmaker said he is very happy and pleased that the CNMI is using this downtime it has with the tourism industry by preparing the islands for tourism resumption whether it is through beautification projects or through a large scale infrastructure project.
“We’re just really glad to see this take off today. When the time comes, post-pandemic, that we can open our doors back to our visitors, we’ll have a better and more beautiful Marianas to show them,” he added.
DPW Highway Administrator Lorraine S. Villagomez, for her part, said, “We’re going to make the roads safer, of course…. A lot of the concerns have been addressed. We’re hoping that by the repaving of this road, motorists will find it safer… The drainage system will be addressed later because there are a lot of things involved in the off-site drainage system, but that will be taken into consideration with the DPW.”
She noted that the original plans were revised in light of concerns raised by community members regarding the drainage system, as well as to meet the permitting requirements so that DPW can proceed with the project.
Hawaiian Rock Products Saipan has been contracted for the project, led by general manager David Busch who noted that there will be no changes to the road elevation so as not to affect the drainage.
By not changing the profile of the road, he noted, the drainage will remain the same.
“Eventually, they’ll have to address that further down the line,” he added.
Surveying of the road is already been done and is anticipated to be completed between two and three weeks, in which documentation will then be submitted to the DPW.
“Once that’s approved, then we’ll proceed with the actual work,” he said.
CNMI officials participate in a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for the Airport Road project.
Photo by K-Andrea Evarose S. Limol
