FAA OKs $2.4-M for Saipan airport project

Committed at making CNMI’s international air commuter facility at par with its counterparts in the mainland United States and other countries in the world, the Federal Aviation Administration continues to pour in funds for the improvement of the Saipan airport.

FAA’s most recent re-affirmation of its commitment to improving air transport facilities in the Northern Marianas came in the form of a financial grant offer amounting to $2.374 million earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Saipan International Airport runway.

Under the proposed Grant Agreement, FAA will shoulder 100 percent of the allowable project costs of the first $2 million and at least 90 percent of all other expenses that may be incurred for the completion of the project.

The allowable costs of the project shall not include any expenditures determined by the FAA to be ineligible for consideration as to allowability under the Act, the agreement stipulates.

FAA-Western Pacific Region’s Airports District Office acting manager Daniel S. Matsumoto has relayed the good news to Commonwealth Ports Authority Board Chair Roman S. Palacios.

In July, FAA has earmarked close to $200,000 for a project intended to improve and rehabilitate certain portions of the Saipan International Airport as it stressed the value of better transportation facilities on the economic activities in the Northern Marianas.

The $200,000 grant was for the conversion of existing asphalt concrete apron (ACP) to Portland cement concrete (PCC).

Poised at making Northern Marianas airports at par with facilities from other countries, CPA has been crafting a long-term improvement plan for the Saipan International Airport that includes the expansion of its runway safety zone.

While the current coverage of the Saipan International Airport runway’s safety zone meets standards set by the FAA, aviation officials said there may be a need to extend the safety zone in the future.

Explaining that the land adjacent to the Saipan International Airport runway is not a flat terrain that may pose another concern, Mr. Palacios said a significant amount of money would be needed to undertake the project.

CPA’s efforts in drawing up plans aimed at improving the islands’ transit facilities have been prompted by problems relating to transportation which have long been identified to be major a major factor in the apparently stagnating economic activity in the CNMI.

The agency is also looking at expanding the runway of the Saipan International Airport from 8,600 feet to 10,600 feet since its current capacity restricts the facility from accommodating direct flights from the mainland United States, a government report said.

At present, the airport can only receive flights from the closer Asian cities. The facility hosts an air carrier apron that has parking position for six aircraft. With these, it can accommodate expected growth in the tourism industry in the near future even without expansion.

Officials have said, however, that the Saipan airport is too small for direct flights from the mainland US and has only one runway which has the potentials of creating scheduling conflicts especially when the number of international flights increase.

Part of future improvement plans for the Saipan International Airport, aside from extending the current runway to 10,600 feet, is the construction of a new parallel runway with connecting taxiways.