Lights are back on at pathway, Garapan Street

Garapan just got a bit brighter heading into the holiday season.

This comes soon after the Torres-Palacios administration, through the Office of Grants Management, fixed and relit damaged lights along Garapan Street and the Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway. 

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said the relighting of a main thoroughfare within the CNMI tourism district and the very popular pathway along the Saipan Lagoon has been in the works since the lights were first damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu. 

“It’s been a long time coming, but through the hard work and dedication of our OGM team and their collaboration with the Department of Public Works, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., and local contractors, Garapan Street is lit, and our famous Beach Road Pathway is getting brighter every week. This is an important part of our plans to make it safe for our people to walk in Garapan and on the pathway, while also preparing for our tourism reopening so that visitors are safe and comfortable,” said Torres. 

A total of about 41 lights have been relit on Garapan Street, which runs from the Bank of Guam-DFS intersection on Beach Road to Chalan Pale Arnold (Middle Road). 

For the Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway, a total of 51 lights have been lit from Ada Gym to Quartermaster Road as of Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. Phase 2 of the relighting project will run from Quartermaster Road to the Cabrera Center, which should be completed within the next few days. Ultimately, these first phases of the Beach Road Pathway relighting project will stretch to the Garapan Public Market and should be completed within November. Overall, 250 lights are scheduled to be relit for the public’s benefit on Saipan’s most famous walkway. 

According to OGM administrator Epiphanio E. Cabrera Jr., the relighting project has been an important priority of the governor and lieutenant governor to provide a sense of hope for the community this year. 

“These relighting projects provide a sense of renewed hope for our community, and that is all we have ever talked about. …Lighting is a little thing that goes a long way because it makes public places walkable and safer, while also improving tourism as we reopen our economy to our visitor markets. We are excited to completely finish these projects as we welcome the holiday season here in the Marianas,” said Cabrera. 

Funding for the relighting projects is provided by federal funds administered under the Office of Grants Management. The Torres-Palacios administration is currently working with private sector leaders and non-profit organizations on Christmas decorations and lights around the main thoroughfares and roads of Garapan. (PR)