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$280K contract to probe Tinian terminal design
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Posted on Aug 28 2011
Guam-based Taniguchi Ruth Makio Architects has bagged the $280,000 contract for the investigation of the Tinian airport terminal on allegations that its designs are flawed and deficient.
Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero confirmed that the company is expected to submit the results of its evaluation and assessment in the next three weeks, prior to making any recommendation to the board.
The executive director emphasized that TRMA has to fulfill three specific tasks under the contract: assessment, analysis, and new design to address the identified flaws and deficiency in the project.
CPA issued a notice to proceed to TRMA in April 2010 to conduct an assessment of the alleged deficient terminal design for $200,000.
This was amended in December 2010 extending the assessment work for additional $31,000. In April 2011, final amendment was approved to include the analysis and formulation of new design for additional $49,000.
The completion of the new departure terminal for the Tinian International Airport was delayed after the ports authority received complaints from engineers that its design has potential flaws that could affect the merging of old and new wings to make it one general terminal for the island.
Saipan Tribune learned that also among the concerns on the new building terminal was that it allegedly was not built to earthquake standards.
CPA earlier pointed out that it has to establish facts about the flawed design before making any decision to go after its contractor, Leo Daly Co.
Currently, the Tinian new terminal building is not operational pending the merger of the departure and arrival terminals.
Leo Daly Co. was the same contractor for the design of the Commonwealth Health Center and was sued by the government for $10 million over the defective design of the hospital’s dialysis unit in 2009. The parties agreed to settle the case in $2 million last year.
