SANTO DOMINGO – On his second supervisory trip since taking over the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings, Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó traveled yesterday, Friday, to Santiago to evaluate on-site the progress of the intervention being carried out on the emblematic Calle del Sol.
The visit is in response to instructions from President Luis Abinader and is part of the direct follow-up agenda that the official has initiated after his appointment, according to a press release.
This time, the focus was on verifying the pace of work on the historic road, reviewing the technical solutions adopted, and strengthening coordination between the institutions involved.
The project is being developed by the Presidential Commission for Provincial Development Support, the entity in charge of the comprehensive execution of the work in the country's second largest city.
Points visited
The tour of the Minister and the entourage that accompanied him covered several key points of the historic center of Santiago, starting in the Raudy Torres Plaza, at the intersection of Las Carreras with Benito Monción.
From there, the delegation inspected the reconstruction of the Casa de Arte (House of Art), reviewed the service tunnel area at the corner of Máximo Gómez Avenue, and concluded their visit at the section of Calle del Sol (Sun Street) under construction, near the entrance on Gregorio Luperón Avenue, across from La Altagracia Church.
The minister was accompanied by Provincial Governor Rosa Santos Méndez and Mayor Ulises Rodríguez, along with project engineers, civil and electrical contractors, and representatives from the business and commercial sectors, including ASECENSA, the Santiago Strategic Plan, APEDI, AIREN, and ACIS.
Housing Minister Víctor (Ito) Bisonó during his tour. (External source).
During the day, Bisonó assured that the monitoring will be permanent and focused on meeting the schedule, without sacrificing technical standards, and indicated that, if the weather conditions remain favorable, the paving of the two blocks under intervention could be completed towards the end of March.
Extensions and justifications
The technical managers justified the slow progress of the works by citing unforeseen situations related to the high water table, the presence of groundwater, recent rains, and the structural complexity of the service tunnel.
Given this scenario, it was agreed to intervene in shorter segments, with the aim of optimizing quality control and speeding up execution by the date announced by the Minister.
The transformation work on Calle del Sol began in September 2025, when the Presidential Commission for Provincial Development Support initiated the intervention in an initial section from Sabana Larga Street to Cuba Street, with deep excavations for the construction of the underground service conduit and the modernization of the road.
The original schedule projected the delivery of the first stage in December 2025 , with the aim of enabling traffic and commercial activity during the peak year-end season; however, that deadline was extended due to the technical difficulties encountered in the field.
More recently, authorities indicated that the first segment was expected to be operational by January 21, 2026 , coinciding with the religious celebrations of Our Lady of Altagracia Day, although progress depended on terrain and weather conditions.
In a more recent plan with a schedule agreed upon between the CPADP, local authorities and the business sector, it was set that the first section of the work would be restored between February 15 and 28, 2026.
Shopkeepers complain
Bisonó also held an exchange with local merchants, assuring them that efforts are being made to minimize the impacts of a project of this magnitude, while guaranteeing safety and quality in the intervention.
The works include burying and reorganizing sanitary, electrical and drinking water networks, as well as improvements to the base materials to reinforce the resistance of the pavement.
With this visit, the Ministry of Housing continues its scheme of direct supervision in strategic urban projects, in coordination with the implementing entities and local authorities.
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