‘No public input on three-year $15M highway plan’

The Department of Public Works did not receive a single comment from Saipan residents on a three-year highway plan involving at least $15.154 million that includes the multi-million Cross Island or Back Road improvement and the Chalan Kalabera development.

An additional $4.5 million is also expected to go toward phase II of the Cross Island road improvement project from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The public comment on the CNMI Territorial Transportation Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2009-2011 began on March 24 and wrapped up on April 21.

Joseph M. Inos Jr., director of DPW’s Technical Services Division, said yesterday they did not receive any comment from Saipan residents. He said they have yet to know whether comments were gathered from Rota and Tinian residents.

“Just like in previous comment periods, we did not receive comments for the plan,” Inos told Saipan Tribune in an interview at his office.

Inos said it is disappointing that not a single comment was received during the allotted public comment period. “People usually react long after the comment period and they asked us how come they’re not given an opportunity to comment,” he added.

Projects listed on the three-year plan are funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration through the Federal Aid Highway Program.

The annual earmarked federal funding for FYs 2009 to 2011 is about $4.5 million. For FY 2009, however, there’s an additional $1.754 million additional discretionary fund.

FY 2009 projects include the design for Cross Island road improvement Phase II A worth $750,000.

“The design is being finalized,” said Inos.

Phases II B and III of the Cross Island road improvement project are also earmarked $2.620 million and $60,000, respectively.

The Route 36 Windward/Chalan Kalabera Development was also earmarked $1.2 million in FY 2009.

Other FY 2009 projects include:

-Route 10/100 emergency repairs on Rota with two separate funding—$500,000 and $554,000;

-Highway planning, technology transfer and training activities, $20,000;

-Program administration and construction engineering, $350,000; and

-The right of way manual, $100,000.

For FY 2010, the projects with earmarked funds include highway planning, technology transfer and training activities, $50,000; and program administration and construction engineering, $350,000.

The projects will also include:

-Route 100 road improvements and environmental assessment and preliminary engineering, $200,000;

-Route 10 hazard elimination and overlay, $150,000;

-Route 200 hazard and elimination overlay, $75,000;

-Route 21 hazard elimination and overlay, $75,000;

-Cross Island road improvement phase III, $3.550 million; and

-Beach Road/Tun Segundo Street intersection traffic signal system, $50,000.

Projects for FY 2011 include:

-Highway planning, technology transfer and training activities, $50,000;

-Program administration and construction engineering, $350,000;

-Route 100 road improvements and environmental assessment and preliminary engineering, $250,000;

-Route 10 hazard elimination and overlay, $150,000;

-Route 200 hazard and elimination overlay, $500,000;

-Route 21 hazard elimination and overlay, $500,000;

-Tun Herman Pan Road and drainage improvements phase II, $1.150 million; and

-Beach Road/Tun Segundo Street intersection traffic signal system, $200,000.