The fifth outer island scheduled to receive runway paving is on hold awaiting the lifting of the current passenger travel ban to outer islands during the ongoing dengue fever outbreak.
Over the past two years, four outer island runways have either been paved or refurbished by Pacific International Inc. under contract with the Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Utilities. The ministry’s Project Management Unit provided an update this week on outer island runway paving. To date:
• Jaluit airstrip, completed.
• Wotje airstrip, substantially completed.
• Woja, Ailinglaplap, substantially completed.
• Aerok, Ailinglaplap, rehabilitation only, did not include Flex-C cement paving.
Next atoll on the list for paving is Likiep.
Each of the airport projects is budgeted at $560,000, according to the PMU, which added that change orders may increase the costs.
PMU said PII is “ready for mobilization (for Likiep) pending travel ban to outer islands.”
Read more about this in the September 27, 2019 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.