One agency left to sign off on Kagman, SV road paving

According to Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), there is still one regulatory agency that needs to sign off on the permit before the paving project for three Kagman roads and one San Vicente road begins.

In an interview at his office yesterday, Deleon Guerrero said all regulatory agencies have signed off on the permit except for the CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Saipan Tribune tried to contact the person responsible at DFW for the permits but no one could not be reached as of press time.

Deleon Guerrero noted that after DFW signs off on the permit, mobilization of the project will begin.

The Legislature’s fiscal analyst, David S. Demapan, who was present at the interview, said the project’s cost-estimate is $506,446.94 for the four locations. However, one site is still underfunded.

Demapan said the project contractor, Hawaiian Rock, will be coming up with the estimates of how much is needed for Pine Dr., one of the roads to be paved in Kagman 3.

Four sites are being looked at for the road paving project. The three locations in Kagman 3 are Chopak Drive, Pine Drive, and Mangga Street, while Katbun Drive in San Vicente near Stanford Resort will also be paved.

“About 200 feet of that road section is not paved,” Deleon Guerrero said.

Demapan said the breakdown of the $500,000 for the four locations are: Chopak Drive, $340,701.62; Pine Drive, $66,509.09 [which Demapan noted is underfunded, according to Hawaiian Rock]; Mangga Street, $76,758.54; and Katbun Drive, $22,477.66.

Deleon Guerrero said that although the project cost has been estimated at $500,000, that is not the final amount because there might be more costs along the way when the project starts.

Deleon Guerrero also said that although the Pine Drive paving is underfunded, he will try to draw from the $90,000 that was specifically appropriated for Precinct 5.

The $90,000 was from House Local Bill 18-56 that became Saipan Local Law 18-22 after Gov. Eloy S. Inos signed it into law in December. The $90,000 is allocated for various infrastructure improvement projects for Precinct 5.

“This project will still continue and we will try and ask DFW what is holding up on the signing and hopefully in the future, with the new Legislature, we can work together to find more funding for the rest of the roads in Kagman 3 because I have seen it and it needs to be paved,” Deleon Guerrero said.