It’s a go for airport enclosure project

After nine months of delay, the expansion and enclosure of the Saipan International Airport’s departure terminal will finally begin.

The $14.3 million project will break ground at 10:30am Friday, Sept. 2, 2005. The construction, to be performed by The Boeing Company, will follow shortly.

Funded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the project includes the expansion, enclosure, and air conditioning of the departure check-in lobby areas.

The Commonwealth Ports Authority will also embark on the construction of a huge basement-type room that will be built on the west side of the terminal building to house the Transportation Security Administration’s screening operations and the explosive detection system as provided for by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In addition, a state-of-the-art in-line baggage conveyor system will be installed.

CPA said these improvements would allow passenger baggage inspections to be performed more efficiently, as manual baggage inspections by TSA personnel would be eliminated. The long lines in front of the check-in counters would be removed and travelers would have a cooler environment.

“Once this project is completed, it will be like the old days when you simply walk up to the check in counter with your luggage and receive your boarding pass. No more manual TSA baggage inspections in the check in lobby because it will be done by a state-of-the-art in-line baggage conveyor system behind the buildings and passengers will be checking in an air-conditioned environment. It will be efficient and greatly convenient for all of our passengers,” said CPA executive director Carlos H. Salas.

The terminal improvement will be completed within 20 months.

He said the project would not have been possible without the understanding of the FAA in Honolulu, which supported the project “even if it meant sacrificing other critical airport projects.”

The FAA covered the $5.2 million shortfall in CPA’s budget for the project.

The ports authority originally approved a $10.1 million budget, including $1 million for the design prepared by Boeing. But due to the high cost of needed technology, the construction cost shot up to $14.3 million.

The shortfall led to the nine-month delay in the start of construction, which was initially slated for January 2005. The problem was resolved when FAA agreed to release $2.6 million from the ports authority’s entitlement for fiscal year 2006 and another $2.6 million for FY2007.

The governor, lieutenant governor, and lawmakers have been invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday. CPA has also asked CNMI government agencies and department heads, as well as members of airport and seaport organizations, to attend.