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Palacios highlights nearly $1 billion in infrastructure investments, new homes and road projects
Summary
The governor listed major capital projects—road overhauls, school modular buildings, housing construction using FEMA and CDBG funds, and transit investments—and named funding sources and implementing agencies.
Governor Arnold I. Palacios told the joint session that the administration has accelerated a series of infrastructure projects across the commonwealth, citing nearly $1 billion in total investment and listing specific road, housing, school and transit projects.
Palacios highlighted a $28,000,000 overhaul of Beets Road, $1,300,000 revamp of Industrial Drive near the seaport, and a $15,000,000 phase two of Route 36 connecting Talofofo and Marpi. He said the Office of Planning and Development completed 100% designs for a $21,000,000 Ulea Sports Complex and a cultural tourism enhancement project expected to begin construction later in the year.
The governor credited the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation (NMHC) with deploying CDBG-DR funds: he said NMHC has invested over $254,000,000 in 23 infrastructure projects and allocated $138,000,000 for rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction of nearly 200 residential homes. He also said FEMA and CDBG-DR funds totaling about $25,100,000 were used to build hundreds of stronger, typhoon-resilient homes.
In education and workforce training, Palacios pointed to a new $4,000,000 ARPA-funded modular building for Hopwood Middle School (20 classrooms), a planned $23,000,000 campus expansion, a $12,000,000 EDA-funded career-technical education facility at Marianas High School, and an $8,600,000 EDA-funded workforce training facility by NM Tech.
On public transit, he said COTA provided over 80,000 passenger trips (a 12% increase) and secured $8,400,000 in congressional funding to build a bus transfer station, covered bus parking and 187 bus stop shelters. The governor also referenced plans to transition to electric vehicles and expand services to Rota and Tinian.
The governor framed these projects as part of economic recovery and resilience after typhoons and pandemic-related slowdowns. He asked the legislature and agencies to continue support; no new appropriation or ordinance was adopted in the joint session during the address.
