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House OK on Texas Road project seen
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Posted on Feb 05 2001
The House of Representatives is gearing up for the passage of legislation that would pave the road for the development of the Texas Road through the creation of a special implementing body.
House members last week approved the recommendations made by the Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication to pass House Bill 12-267, otherwise known as the Texas Road Development Act of 2000.
According to the report submitted by PUTC to House leadership, passage of HB 12-267 would be in the best interest of the CNMI primarily because this would provide Saipan residents better road access.
The bill calls for the creation of the Texas Road Commission which will plan for and implement the development of the road, as well as negotiate with private landowners acquisition agreements on behalf of the Commonwealth government.
Under HB 12-267, the Commission will be comprised of government officials from various agencies that include the Department of Public Works, Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, Division of Land Registration and Survey, Division of Public Lands, Coastal Resources Management and Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The special implementing body should also have a CNMI-licensed surveyor and a professional engineer licensed to practice in the Northern Marianas.
Under the Texas Road Project, the Commission should be responsible in designing limits of the development for a two-lane vehicular traffic. utility easement for sewer, water and power, and for pedestrian access on either side of the road.
The bill also requires the soon-to-be established Commission to identify private landowners who will be affected by the proposed project and identify total area of each parcel of private land that will be needed for the construction of the road.
At the same time, HB 12-267 calls for the identification of revenues and make appropriations beginning Fiscal Year 2002 for the acquisition of private properties needed to open and develop Texas Road on Saipan.
“A reserve account shall be set up by the Secretary of Finance to be used solely for the Texas Road Development Project. Annual budget appropriations made by the Legislature shall be deposited in this account,” the bill reads.
