SAIPAN – About one-third of Saipan’s lighted intersections and school zone flashers are back in service as of the week of May 19, with two-thirds still dark or in beacon mode, according to a public announcement from the CNMI Department of Public Works showing the Saipan Highway Traffic Signal System.
Of roughly 33 lighted intersections and school zone flasher locations on the DPW map, 11 are now operating. The functioning sites include Saipan Ice and Water at the intersection of Routes 30 and 314, Puerto Rico and Marina Heights at Routes 30 and 323, Beach Road and Garapan Street at Routes 33 and 308, Garapan Street and Middle Road at Routes 30 and 308, the Sugar Dock intersection at Routes 33 and 309, the Chalan Kanoa Tun Segundo light on Route 33, Chalan Piao Mobil at Routes 32 and 33, Iglesia ni Cristo and Airport Road at Routes 31 and 35, Guangdong Hardware at Routes 32 and 37, San Vicente at Routes 31 and 305, and the Tanapag Middle School zone flasher on Route 30.
Beach Road remains the most uneven stretch. Lights are back at Garapan Street, Sugar Dock and Tun Segundo, but the Quarter Master intersections, the DFS and ABC Store crosswalk, the Shenanigans pedestrian crosswalk, the Joeten Kiyu Public Library light, the Marianas High School traffic light and the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium pedestrian crosswalk all remain dark.
The Kagman and Dandan beat on the east side is largely dark. The Kagman Mobil warning beacon, the IT&E and Middle Road traffic light, the former Atkins Kroll intersection, the Kagman Elementary and Kagman High school zone flashers, the Northern Marianas College traffic light and warning beacon, the San Vicente Elementary school zone flasher, the Dandan Middle School zone flasher and the Chalan Monsignor Martinez and Shell Dandan intersection are all listed as not functioning. The Hopwood Middle School zone solar flasher and the Koblerville Road youth center pedestrian crosswalk are also out.
The DPW announcement advised the public to continue exercising caution at intersections with non-functioning traffic lights and school zone flashers. Drivers are reminded to treat dark signals as four-way stops under CNMI traffic regulations.
