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DPW completes section of cross-island road improvement project
The Department of Public Works has completed a portion of a cross-island road improvement project at the intersection of Santa Lourdes Road in As Teo.
Gov. Eloy S. Inos and Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres led other government officials during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly developed road on Thursday.
Inos, in a short speech congratulated the DPW and cited the importance of the newly renovated road for the communities in Kagman and its benefits to tourism.
The cross-road improvement is part of a larger-scale infrastructure improvement program funded by the Federal Highway Administration.
After nearly decades of problems with potholes, dust, and damage to cars, several roads in Kagman III and some in San Vicente are now in the process of being paved.
The paving project includes three areas in Kagman III—Chopak Drive, Pine Drive, and Mangga Street—and Katbon Road in San Vicente. Other projects included roads in parts of San Vicente, Kannat Tabla, As Terlaje, Papago, As Teo, and Kagman.
Early this year, the DPW broke ground on four road-paving projects in Precinct 5, starting with Chopak Drive in Kagman III. Aside from Chopak Drive, the three other roads that will finally be paved are Pine Drive and Mangga Street in Kagman III and Katbun Road in San Vicente.
The funding for the road paving in Kagman III and San Vicente was made possible after Inos signed a local law in July 2014 appropriating more than $2.17 million in bond funds for Saipan projects. Of the $2.17 million, $600,000 went to Precinct 5 road paving.
Since the first issuance of homesteads in Kagman III in December 1993, roads in phases 3 and 4 of the village had little or no paved roads, causing residents and motorists a decade of negotiating dilapidated roads.
Twenty-two years later, Kagman III will finally see actual groundwork on three of its roads with one other road paving in San Vicente.
DPW Secretary James Ada said the road-paving is finally starting after many unsuccessful efforts in the past.
“Fifteen years ago, when I was a director for roads and ground for DPW, my staff had to fix these roads and it is about time for Kagman residents to be proud of it,” Ada said.
