MNO offered to construct the new road for US$ 2,197,982. Windward Roads bid for US$2,335,668.
After the offers by the contractors were opened in their presence on Monday, a PJIAE Evaluation Committee - comprising officials from the company's Technical and Financial Divisions- will evaluate the bids. Bids will be evaluated on the basis of their completeness, compliance with required specifications and price. "We should be ready to announce the winner of the bid within two weeks," said drs. Holiday. He said that bearing in mind the urgency to improve the traffic situation at PJIA, the intention is to execute this project as soon as possible. "We're looking at a period of eight month and possibly in a shorter timeframe."
The rerouting works should in broad lines follow the original Master Plan for the development of the airport. During the execution of Phase II of the Masterplan -which included the construction of the current terminal building - the original plan for the road network envisaged in the Master plan had to be adjusted. Drs. Holiday explained: "To execute the rerouting of the airport road as originally intended, PJIAE would need to acquire property east of the new terminal and north-west of the new terminal, the latter being the former BBW property. However, given that discussions associated with the acquisition of the latter property were not progressing favorably and considering the need to move the Phase II project forward, we decided to adjust the road plan"
In September of 2007 PJIA commissioned Netherlands Airports Consultants (NACO) to develop a new plan to reroute the Airport Road as much as possible in line with the original plans for the airport road.
AIRPORT ROAD REROUTING BIDS ACCEPTED.
The proposed airport road rerouting plan is a variation of the plan originally envisioned in the Masterplan and aims at:
1. securing and enhancing adequate traffic flow to/from the airport;
2. relinquishing the pedestrian crossing over the main road;
3. increasing the car parking capacity;
4. maintaining the possibility of future airport development in line with the master plan.
Coming from the east the proposed rerouted airport road will connect at the bend, where the entrance to the public car parking is currently situated, a roundabout will be created at that location. The new road will continue along the Simpson Bay lagoon flowing along the eastern and northern shoreline and then curves following the perimeters of the public parking lot to the west. At the front of the Terminal building the new road will connect with the existing airport road. To reach the public car parking coming from Philipsburg direction, motorists can turn left at the roundabout. To reach the public car parking coming from Maho motorists can use the airport frontage roads.
PJIAE hopes that through this investment that it will contribute to alleviation of the traffic congestions on this side of the island as well provide some stimulus in terms of economic activity in a period of uncertain economic times.
Reacting to questions by reporters, Drs. Holiday announced that the next project to be executed as PJIAE continues its role of catalyst of development is the Runway End Safety Area, which is an addition to the airport runway, located at its eastern end. "This project also entails a rerouting of the airport road, where the area is already filled in. We're in the process of finalizing the building permits," said Drs. Holiday.
