The approximate cost of the work carried out on the overpass at 27th and Máximo Gómez was RD$250 million pesos.
SANTO DOMINGO.- Four months after the tragedy caused by the collapse of the overpass at the intersection of 27 de Febrero Avenue and Máximo Gómez Avenue, where 9 people died on November 18 of last year, government authorities reopened the affected section yesterday, assuring that the work carried out on the infrastructure was done with the highest level of engineering standards.
"What the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) has sought here is to bring peace of mind to the Dominican people, with a reinforcement of this and other structures in different places, so that citizens once again feel safe traveling through these overpasses," Ángel Tejeda, Vice Minister of Planning and Technical Regulation, told the media when announcing the opening of the project.
He said that the work carried out has been carefully planned and designed, with additional safety criteria, to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.
"We are pleased to announce to the public the opening of this tunnel, which was closed for repairs to ensure the safety of citizens when crossing this road," the official noted.
He noted that the project will be available to citizens from now on, taking advantage of the Easter holiday, when a large number of people significantly increase traffic in the city, and that in many cases they will have this overpass available for their journeys.
Cost and resistance
Tejeda said that the approximate cost of the work carried out on the overpass at 27th and Máximo Gómez was RD$250 million pesos, which includes the construction of the fallen walls, tie beams and a mechanical anchor to the firm rock, to guarantee greater safety.
He assured that only minor details remain, which will be covered between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am, in the next 15 days.
“That will give the structure greater safety to withstand a hydrometeorological event, as well as any seismic event,” he said.
He announced that Public Works will be working on other structures in the road circuit of 27 de Febrero Avenue, and cited the intersection with Tiradentes Avenue, as well as the intersection of Máximo Gómez and Kennedy, where reinforcement work will be carried out.
The MOPC reported that among the solutions included in the overpass at 27 de Febrero and Máximo Gómez are the construction of retaining walls anchored to the rock, and drainage lines to relieve hydrostatic pressure.
Also included are a beam at the base of the walls, a monolithic structure with transverse beams, and the construction of reinforced Jersey barriers. The contracting firm in charge of the work is Ingeniería Estrella.
Also attending the event were the Vice Minister of Road Infrastructure, Elías Santana; the Director of the Military and Police Commission, Major General Rafael Vásquez Espínola; and the Director of Works Supervision and Inspection, Henry Vargas, among others.
