SANTO DOMINGO. – President Luis Abinader led the groundbreaking ceremony this Wednesday, marking the start of construction on the extension of Line 1 of the Santo Domingo Metro, from the Mamá Tingó station to Punta de Villa Mella, to continue offering transportation alternatives to the congested traffic of Greater Santo Domingo.
The project, overseen by the Office for the Reorganization of Transportation (OPRET), includes the construction of two stations, located near the Ramón Matías Mella Educational Center and the San Felipe community, which will be part of the Santo Domingo Metro-Cable Car Integrated Transportation System. It also includes a new viaduct approximately 2.5 kilometers long and a fourteen-lane rail depot.
The agency detailed in a press release that the new depot will be strategically located for train parking and maintenance tracks, and that the project also includes a parking garage.
This new government initiative, aimed at improving mobility in Greater Santo Domingo, represents an investment of approximately US$187 million and is expected to be completed in about 36 months.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, President Abinader reiterated his administration's commitment to transforming the Dominican transportation system, providing faster, safer, and more reliable transportation options.
“Our purpose goes beyond simply creating infrastructure. We seek to improve the mobility experience in Santo Domingo, making it more inclusive, faster, and more sustainable. This project is a step towards territorial integration and the optimization of public service, where every citizen feels the positive impact in their daily life,” Abinader stated.
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Santo Domingo Metro expansion. (External source).
The president also highlighted the positive environmental impact this project will have in light of the adaptation and mitigation measures necessary to address climate change.
“I also want to emphasize its positive environmental impact; that is, every time we invest in this type of transportation, it translates into lower emissions of harmful gases, thus contributing to a greener Santo Domingo and adaptation to climate change, the effects of which we, as an island nation, are already feeling,” Abinader stated.
For his part, the executive director of OPRET, Rafael Santos Pérez, affirmed that his administration is committed to continuing to develop and improve rail transportation.
“Rest assured that we will carry out this project adhering to the principles of efficiency and transparency, always defending the public interest, ensuring that every peso invested is used objectively so that your effort, which is the effort of all the Dominican people, translates into collective well-being, increasing the quality of life for the people of this district and demonstrating to the nation that efficient and functional projects can be undertaken by the public sector,” stated Santos Pérez.
Line 1B of the Santo Domingo Metro promises to continue transforming the urban mobility experience, improving connectivity levels and access, and promoting cleaner and more efficient transportation.
At the same time, it will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the area. This project promises a significant impact on reducing traffic in the northern part of the city, the press release emphasizes.
