Fed money eyed to fund street-naming project

The CNMI government is eyeing federal money to fund the setting up of street signs in Saipan’s major thoroughfares and secondary roads which has been derailed for several years due to financial constraints and controversy surrounding the use of Chamorro and Carolinian names.

Saipan Mayor Jose Sablan said the CNMI Department of Public Works is already gathering necessary documents to finalize the local government’s application for a grant under the Federal Highway Administration.

“We have been told that there are some federal money that will be made available [for the street-naming project] by the Federal Highway Administration. They are working on that right now with DPW,” Mr. Sablan told reporters.

The mayor could not say how much federal money will be made available for the project. He only said most of the federal grant will be used to install street signs in major Saipan thoroughfares and that the DPW is finalizing efforts to secure the grant.

Local laws designate construction of street signs, including request for proposals and bidding to the public works department.

According to Mr. Sablan, the CNMI government needs at least $800,000 for the entire project. He would not say whether the entire amount will be subsidized by the FHA grant but stressed that work is now underway to secure the money within the year.

“I hope the money will be made available within the year. That’s what they said they have been trying to do,” he said, adding that all the names for major streets have been finalized.

The government is fast-tracking installation of street signs amid public clamor due to the heavy dependence of important social services on the accessibility and easy identification of locations.

For one, the availability of the service depends on how soon the local government is able to put up of street signs and house numbers.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has cited the need to fast-track the completion of the street-naming project which has been derailed by disagreements between legislative leaders of Chamorro and Carolinian descent.

Aside from the U.S. Postal Service, public safety concerns also demand that the island’s streets be immediately given names, since the project has been in its planning stage over the past 11 years.

Officials have also noted the importance of street signs to intensified efforts at improving the government’s emergency response capabilities, which kicked off with the rehabilitation and upgrading of the 911 phone system.