Among the issues being evaluated are road signage, left turns, heavy vehicle traffic, and vehicle technical inspection
SANTO DOMINGO.– Strengthening the technical capacity of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT) will be one of the first tasks undertaken by its executive director, Juan Manuel Méndez, who is working on identifying former specialists of the institution toevaluate their possible reinstatement.
Méndez explained that the recovery of experienced personnel is part of the measures he considers necessary to restore to the organization technical knowledge that, he indicated, has been lost with the departure of specialized professionals.
The official revealed that this issue was discussed with President Luis Abinader before he assumed the leadership of INTRANT and maintained that technicians are a fundamental part of addressing traffic problems with professional criteria.
“Many of the technicians here are no longer here, and I’m getting a list of them because I have a lot of faith in them. They have the knowledge,” he stated during an interview on a national television program. He added that his conversations with the president included the possibility of bringing back some of that specialized staff.
A plan to address accumulated problems
The new head of INTRANT assured that he is working on a program of actions with short, medium and long term results, based on the fact that the Dominican traffic crisis responds to accumulated problems that cannot be resolved immediately.
Among the issues being evaluated are road signage, left turns, heavy vehicle traffic, and vehicle technical inspection.
It also contemplates the application of provisions established in Law 63-17 that are still pending implementation.
The strategy seeks to identify measures that allow intervention at the most problematic points of vehicular traffic and progressively improve urban mobility.
Kilometer 9, between the points under observation
One of the places that has focused the official's attention is kilometer 9 of the Duarte highway, considered a point of high complexity for traffic in Santo Domingo.
Méndez recently conducted a technical tour of the area to learn about the progress of the reorganization process and the measures related to the integration of public transport.
The intervention in these types of areas is part of the new administration's intention to combine immediate solutions with longer-term planning actions.
A challenge that also has a personal dimension
Méndez's arrival at INTRANT also marked a significant change in his professional career. Before assuming the position, he spent more than two decades working at the Emergency Operations Center (COE).
During the interview, he recalled his eight-year-old son's reaction when he learned that he would be leaving the COE to take on the new responsibility.
According to his account, the boy was worried about the public exposure that the position would entail and began to pray for him: "My God, please don't let my dad's image be damaged.".
Méndez said he tried to reassure him and explained that he would assume the new role with a willingness to work and face any situations that might arise.
No immediate promises
The director of INTRANT acknowledged that the challenges related to traffic are numerous and complex, so he avoided proposing instant solutions.
His approach, he explained, starts with identifying the areas that require intervention, recovering technical capabilities, and establishing actions that can generate progressive results.
Recommended readings:
