Mendiola said the project “is on schedule,” adding that the official completion date is toward the end of this year.
He noted that there was a change in the scope of work because the initial runway design was created pre-Super Typhoon Yutu. JBT Aerotech Jetway Systems in Ogden, Utah is currently working on the redesign, he said.
To date, three gates at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport are under construction, Mendiola said, adding that three new jet bridges will be shipped in June of this year, and will arrive in July. Installation will begin following the construction of the foundation for the three gates, which may take about 30 days, Mendiola said.
Rep. Joseph Leepan T. Guerrero expressed concern about the project timeline, saying that July to October is typhoon season in the region.
“That could throw off the project’s completion,” he said. “That timeline is not feasible.”
He recommended completing one bridge at a time.
Mendiola replied that the current schedule is what the contractor has proposed while the shipment date was set by the project contractor and the bridge manufacturer.
But he said CPA will take into consideration the lawmaker’s concerns with the timeline.
He also mentioned that the runway rehabilitation project is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, and that CPA is working on resubmitting a grant proposal to fund the remaining three bridges.
CPA’s first grant proposal was rejected.
