MVA tests Beach Road pathway lights

Destination enhancement projects of the Marianas Visitors Authority are moving along as they expect to finish the reenergizing of the pathway lights along Beach Road. During their meeting last week, the board was provided updates regarding other larger projects of the tourism agency such as the Flower Island project that seeks to beautify Paseo De Marianas and Banzai Cliff. (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)

The Marianas Visitors Authority has tested some of the lights on the pathway along Beach Road as they target the repairs to be done later this year.

MVA outgoing managing director Perry Tenorio said that they tested some of the lights last week and it turned out to be very bright despite that only a generator was used to re-energize it.

They anticipate that it will be too bright when they connect it to the main switch.

The lights—which are coming from LED bulbs—were also “all over” the place as opposed to just lighting the pathway.

To resolve this, MVA has already ordered inserts to be put on the posts to direct the lights toward the ground. MVA said they are waiting for the shipment to arrive.

“The intention is to direct the light down,” Tenorio said, “We need this particular reflector.”

With the acceleration of the project, Tenorio said they might be able to reenergize the pathway earlier than expected. They initially scheduled the relighting in August.

“With the current progress that they’re going, we’re looking at an earlier reenergizing of the pathway,” Tenorio said.

To mark the completion of project, MVA will hold an evening Ayuda Fun Run, which will support a local non-profit organization. The event is also part of MVA’s 40th anniversary celebration projects.

The pathway snakes along Beach Road from the Minatchom Atdao Pavilion to American Memorial Park. Lights in a portion of Garapan Road near DFS to Middle Road are also included in the project.

There are currently no lights that function along the Beach Road Pathway. 

The project includes inventory and repair or replacement of all walkway lights, lighting closets, and bollard lights which is projected to cost $684,000.

MVA funded the project in coordination with the Department of Public Works.

“That’s part of the reason the board has chosen this to be the first project because I think it would add visual value in terms of the lagoon at night and it will also allow local people, the community, to use the pathway for what it was,” Tenorio said.

Flower island project

The pathway lights project is among the largest destination enhancement project of MVA which also includes the complete renovation of Banzai Cliff and the Flower Island Project that seeks to rebrand the CNMI as a “Flower Island.”

For the Flower Island project, MVA was waiting for requests for proposals for the landscaping services as well as architecture and engineering landscaping services for Paseo De Marianas and other areas in Garapan.

“Something that we’re going to move on since we are ready, we’re doing the design component of PDM, we’ll try to get the second phase of Flower Island project which will be the Banzai Cliff area. And that’s going to be quite significant,” Tenorio said.

“One thing we need to do for that is we need to assess whether the lookout, where it’s at right now, the bottom where we have that erosion, whether its strong enough to continue to maintain people walking on top of it especially with larger numbers. We’re looking at 1.4 million people on an annual basis,” he added.