Legislators pledge funding for Airport Road expansion

The CNMI Legislature has pledged to make funding available for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Saipan Airport Road, an infrastructure project designed to alleviate the facility’s poor conditions.

Legislators said yesterday that all other help, including technical assistance, will be made available to ensure the project’s completion within the year or by the early part of 2002.

Commonwealth Ports Authority officials met with legislators headed by House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Chair Rosiky Camacho to tackle redesigning of the dilapidated Airport Road.

According to CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas funding for the Airport Road project was finally appropriated by the federal government through a grant issued to the Department of Public Works.

But initial design of the supposed $4.5 million road project was originally intended for a four-lane traffic. Changes has to be made because of the insufficient funding allocations received by the DPW, said Mr. Salas.

Citing its importance in providing the first impression to tourists, Mr. Camacho said the thoroughfare’s poor condition may dampen Saipan’s image as a prime tour destination.

“As we all are aware, the first impression is the last impression. With this in mind, I would like to bring to your attention the need to improve the airport road,” Mr. Camacho added.

Mr. Camacho pointed out that almost 100 percent of tourists in the Northern Marianas arrive through the Saipan International Airport and that they normally commute using the 1.47-mile strip of road.

“After a number of exhausting hours of flight time, our visitors are welcomed by the poor and unsightly conditions of the road,” he said, adding that this is deterrent to the government’s efforts to increase the volume of repeat-travelers into the islands.

He added that local residents have also voiced out concerns on the deteriorating condition of the stretch leading to Saipan’s air transport facility. “Most feel uneasy when encountering large tour buses ion the narrow strip of the airport road.”

Mr. Camacho also noted the potential dangers posed by the thoroughfare’s poor condition on the local residents’ safety as well as their personal vehicles.

He said improvement and maintenance of the road is the responsibility of the Department of Public Works. Repair of the facility may require about $4.367 million in total funds from the CNMI government. (EGA)