CPA opens bidding for Tinian airport

The Commonwealth Ports Authority officially opens today the public bidding for the much-delayed improvement of the West Tinian International Airport, including the construction of a new runway that was designed to accommodate larger aircraft.

CPA will be soliciting two separate invitations for the project; one will encompass the construction of a 7,800 linear-foot asphalt concrete runway and the other will be for an 8,600 linear-foot runway, according to Ports Authority Board Chair Roman S. Palacios.

The ports authority has so far made $17 million in total funds available for the West Tinian International Airport improvement project, almost half of which were sourced out of the Federal Aviation Administration grants.
In July 1999, FAA pitched in additional $3.512 million for the West Tinian International Airport improvement project which marked its fourth grant for the undertaking since September 1998.

The July 1999 grant, brought to $9.387 million the total funds allocated by the FAA for the construction of new runway and improvement of the Tinian international airport.

In addition to the FAA grant, the Commonwealth government has allocated $3.4 million in capital infrastructure project funds for the Tinian air transport facility under the provision of Public Law 11-79 which was signed into law June 1999.

Total project cost has been initially estimated to reach at least $20 million.
Under the basic bid, the $17-million project would be for the construction of a new 7,600-foot runway, two 600 linear-foot taxiways, one 200 linear-foot partial taxiway; and the conversion of the existing 6,000 linear-foot runway to a parallel taxiway.

It will also include the construction of 2,296 linear-foot parallel taxiway connecting to Runway 26 and rerouting 4,400 linear-foot of 8th Avenue, which will form part of the proposed 7,600 linear-foot runway.
The new runway will be constructed parallel north of the existing runway which will be transformed into a taxiway.

The construction of a new runway is part of the original West Tinian International Airport rehabilitation plan. CPA previously changed the plan by proposing to instead extend the existing runway which FAA opposed.

CPA is now sticking with the original improvement plan but will construct a 7,600-foot runway instead of the first proposal to build a thousand feet longer runway.

A longer runway would entail bigger amount although CPA is not ruling out the possibility of extending the proposed 7,600-foot runway to 8,600-foot should companies that will submit proposals agree to undertake the project under the available $17-million budget.

The 8,600 linear-foot runway is part of the second or alternative bid which the ports authority will solicit from companies interested to undertake the West Tinian International Airport project.

Also included in the basic and alternative bids are all drainage, guidance signage, taxiway and runway edge lighting, rotating beacon, beacon tower, approach and identifier lights, and other roadway works.