The work being carried out at kilometer 8.5 of that highway will solve a complex flooding problem that dates back more than 20 years.
SANTO DOMINGO.-The Ministry of Public Works and Communications reported that in order to prevent flooding that occurs on the pavement during rainy seasons and causes regrettable accidents, brigades and equipment from that department are carrying out cleaning and conditioning work on culverts on the 6 de Noviembre highway.
The Deputy Minister of Road Maintenance, Luis Bastardo, explained that for more than 20 years that highway had a drainage problem at kilometer 8.5 where traffic accidents were occurring.
“The accumulation of sediment, including plastics and glass in the sewers, had not been removed for more than 20 years, a situation that caused the highway to flood in that section, leading to accidents with regrettable consequences.”.
He guaranteed that the problem on the 6 de Noviembre highway would be resolved within the next few days.
He said that through the work, they were able to find a location that would allow the drainage to flow freely. He added that this was the result of various tasks they had been carrying out with the work crews, and the help of some heavy equipment.
“One appeal we always make to the people in general is that most of the situations we have encountered regarding drainage, in most cases, has been because the places where the water should drain have been altered by malicious hands, and in other cases due to the behavior of nature itself,” he said.
He maintained that the MOPC, under Ascención's leadership, always seeks to preserve the useful life of the roads and drainage systems, "because a road that does not have satisfactory drainage is a road whose useful life will be very limited.".
He highlighted as a worrying situation the amount of garbage found by the brigades on the roads every time they are cutting weeds, especially plastics and bottles.
“We must raise awareness so that drivers carry bags in their vehicles to hold any food or beverage waste they consume in their vehicles, until they reach a place where they can dispose of the waste,” he said.
He explained that this is one of the reasons why the drainage systems are affected, because when the rains come, that amount of plastic and garbage in the ravines, ditches and drains is swept to the point where the drainage is designed to flow.
“So, that creates a blockage that prevents the drainage from flowing freely, and sometimes drivers don't realize that by throwing trash onto the road they are causing bigger consequences,” he concluded.
Deputy Minister Bastardo was accompanied by César Ramírez, director of main roads, and Donald Cabrera, in charge of maintenance of the November 6th highway.
