The completion date of the main runway at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport has been pushed back to a later date after the last-minute discovery of deep cracks on the runway.
Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune the project's completion date will now be in about three to four months or around February 2012.
“We're hoping to complete this major project by January or February 2012. The delay was result of the additional problems that were not addressed by the original design. CPA is now working to address all these concerns and is in the process of rectifying the problems,” he said.
Because the original runway was completed some six years ago, deep cracks have already occurred. As remedy, Deleon Guerrero said that CPA had to ask the Federal Aviation Administration to allow it to modify the specific materials that will be used to remove the cracks. CPA also needs to modify or re-design the project to resolve the latest findings.
Deleon Guerrero said the FAA has already approved the additional funding for the project as well as the new timeline for its completion.
The rehabilitation of the airport's main runway, called Runway 7/25, has been in the CPA books for many years. The project officially kicked off in 2009 but construction did not start on schedule due to some delays in the processing of requirements.
The contract was then amended, with the construction period shortened from 14 months to just eight months, with the slated completion in September this year for its formal opening in October.
Deleon Guerrero said the project's current cost of $19 million may increase a bit due to the additional work but he's optimistic that this may be the last change order on the contract.
The project's contractor is Guam Pacific Power Corp. Inc.
The rehabilitation work is fully funded by the FAA and includes milling of existing runway, taxiway, blast pad and shoulder pavements, asphalt concrete overlay, and other works.
Deleon Guerrero said the delay in the project's completion has already been conveyed to stakeholders who, he said, understand and support CPA's move to ensure the safety of all airlines and passengers.
No comments:
Post a Comment